\ 


MILITARY   JOURNAL 


or 


MAJOR  EBENEZER  DENNY, 


©fficer  in  %  ^efralutionarg  anb  |nbian 


WITH    AS 


INTRODUCTORY  MEMOIR. 


Jfiirror  of  ancient  faith  ! 
Undaunted  \uorih  !    inviolable  truth  ! 


PHILADELPHIA: 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  &  CO. 

FOR    THE 

HISTORICAL   SOCIETY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 
1859. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859,  by 
THE  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Eastern  District 

of  Pennsylvania. 


STEREOTYPED    BY   W.    S.    I1AVEX.    PITTSBURGH,    PA. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  Of 

SANTA  BARBARA 


MEMOIR. 


EBENEZER  DENNY  was  born  in  Carlisle,  Cumberland 
County,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  llth  of  March,  1761.  He 
was  the  eldest  child  of  William  Denny  and  Agnes  Parker. 
William,  and  his  brother  Walter,  came  to  Cumberland 
from  Chester  County,  in  1745.  Walter  Denny  settled 
two  or  three  miles  south  of  Carlisle,  where  he  owned  a 
large  tract,  of  land,  now  divided  into  five  farms.  He 
raised  a  company  for  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Crooked  Billet ;  and  his  son 
taken,  and  kept  three  months  on  board  a  Jersey  prison- 
ship.  David  Denny,  for  many  years  pastor  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  at  Chambersburg,  was  a  son  of  Walter. 
William  lived  in  Carlisle.  He  was  the  first  Coroner 
west  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  a  Commissary  in  the  war. 

The  mother  of  Ebenezer  Denny,  Agnes,  was  the 
daughter  of  John  Parker,  and  grand-daughter  of  Richard 
Parker.  Richard,  as  early  as  1730,  acquired  lands  on 
the  Cannadaguinnet,  three  miles  west  of  Carlisle.  These 
lands  continued  for  two  or  three  generations  afterward 
in  possession  of  his  descendants.  It  was  there  that  his 

(3) 


4  MEMOIR. 

grandsons,  in  the  intervals  of  their  military  service, 
turned  their  swords  into  plowshares.  All  three — Alex- 
ander, Richard  and  Andrew — were  actively  engaged  in 
the  war.  Alexander  furnished  two  teams,  at  his  own 
expense,  when  the  army  was  at  the  White  Plains.  He 
was  commissioned  in  Colonel  Irvine's  regiment,  Second 
Lieutenant  in  Company  "No.  1,  Captain  Hay,  January 
9th,  1776.  Marched  in  April  following,  from  Carlisle 
to  New  York  and  Canada — promoted  a  First  Lieutenant 
in  Company  Xo.  4,  Captain  Rippey,  June  9th,  1776, 
and  Captain,  31st  July,  1777,  in  Colonel  Irvine's  regi- 
ment. In  the  first  campaign  against  Quebec,  he  and  his 
cousin,  John  Parker,  who  was  one  of  his  sergeants,  suf- 
fered great  hardships,  and  narrowly  escaped  being  taken 
prisoners.  At  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War, 
whilst  Richard  and  Andrew  emigrated  to  Kentucky, 
Alexander  Parker  settled  in  Western  Virginia,  on  lands 
which  he  acquired  by  settlement  and  purchase,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Little  Kanahwa,  on  which  is  now  the  town 
of  Parkersburg.  His  only  surviving  child,  Mary,  whilst 
on  a  visit  to  her  relative  in  Pittsburgh,  was  married  to 
William  Robinson,  Jr.,  of  Allegheny.  On  that  occasion 
her  cousin  from  Kentucky,  a  grandchild  of  Richard 
Parker,  afterward  Mrs.  T.  Crittcnden,  was  her  brides- 
maid. 

Agnes,  the  mother  of  Ebenezer  Denny,  was  an  uncom- 
mon woman,  of  great  energy  and  intelligence.  She  was 
of  middle  height,  fair  complexion,  blue  eyes,  bright 
sandy  hair;  beautiful  in  her  younger  days,  attractive  at 
all  times,  and  prepossessing  in  her  old  age.  Her  nume- 
rous friends  and  relatives  approached  her  always  with 


MEMOIR.  5 

confidence  in  her  affection,  her  sympathy,  her  good  tem- 
per and  sound  judgment.  A  devout  Christian — with 
her  Bible,  in  every  sense,  by  heart.  She  never  failed  to 
ascribe  the  many  deliverances  of  her  son  Ebenezer,  to  a 
particular  providence — as  other  pious  persons  did  to  the 
prayers  of  herself,  his  good  mother. 

Her  father  left  his  large  estate  to  his  sons ;  as  was  the 
custom  in  those  days.  Agnes  inherited  nothing.  Her 
husband,  a  highminded  and  gentlemanly  man,  fell  away 
in  his  habits  and  circumstances.  Ebenezer,  therefore, 
felt  that  he  ought  to  endeavor  to  assist  them,  as  well  as 
to  support  himself.  At  the  age  of  thirteen,  he  obtained 
employment  as  a  bearer  of  dispatches  to  the  com- 
mandant at  Fort  Pitt.  He  crossed  the  Allegheny  moun- 
tains alone,  lying  out  in  the  woods  with  any  party  of 
pack-horsemen  whom  he  overtook  at  nightfall.  His 
friend  in  after  years,  Samuel  Murphy,  of  "Murphy's 
Bend,"  on  his  first  visit  from  Bullskins  to  Fort  Pitt  in 
1774,  met  him  at  Turtle  Creek,  on  his  return  from  the 
fort:  "a  slender,  fair,  blue-eyed,  red-haired  boy,  two  or 
three  years  younger  than  himself,  between  eleven  and 
thirteen  years  old."  Murphy  expressed,  at  the  time,  his 
surprise  that  the  public  authorities  would  intrust  a  mere 
lad  to  carry  important  dispatches  through  a  wilderness 
infested  with  savage  enemies.  Twenty  years  afterward, 
Murphy  was  a  lieutenant  in  a  military  expedition  to 
Presqu'  Isle,  commanded  by  the  person  who  was  that 
night  at  Turtle  Creek  his  camp-mate  and  bed-fellow. 
Once  during  that  expedition,  whilst  suppressing  a  mutiny, 
and  again,  when  returning,  he  fell  out  of  his  perogue,  the 


(5  M  E  M  O  I  R . 

life  of  the  commander  was  saved  by  that  brave  and  ath- 
letic soldier.  "When  I  met  him  at  Turtle  Creek,"  said 
Murphy,  "he  must  have  been  on  his  return  from  the 
fort.  I  know  him  too  well  to  suppose  that  he  would  have 
disclosed  to  me  the  nature  of  his  business,  until  after  it 
was  executed."  On  two  of  these  missions  to  Fort  Pitt, 
at  the  Loyalhanna  and  at  Turkey-foot,  he  was  chased 
into  Fort  Loudon  by  the  Indians. 

He  was  afterward  employed  in  his  father's  store  in 
Carlisle.  Fresh  from  his  bridle  path  on  Chestnut  Ridge 
and  Laurel  Hill,  and  familiar  with  its  danger,  it  Avas 
hardly  to  be  expected  that  he  would  be  content  at  home 
behind  a  counter,  whilst  his  uncles,  of  whom  he  was 
justly  proud,  risked  everything  in  the  war. 

A  letter  of  marque  and  reprisal  was  about  to  sail  to  the 
West  Indies.  He  repaired  to  Philadelphia  and  shipped 
as  a  volunteer.  The  captain  intended  to  intercept  a 
British  merchantman,  with  a  valuable  cargo,  bound  from 
the  Bahamas  to  Halifax.  But  entertaining  a  party  of 
friends  who  accompanied  him  down  the  Delaware,  was 
unable  to  command  his  ship  when,  outside  the  capes, 
the  expected  prize  came  in  sight.  He  made  amends  for 
this  disappointment  afterward  by  a  vigilant,  daring  and 
successful  cruise.  His  ship  became  noted  in  the  Gulf. 
On  one  occasion,  off  Martinique,  he  had  a  running  fight 
with  three  armed  British  cruisers.  In  that  chase  and  ac- 
tion, Ebenezer  attracted  the  notice  of  the  captain  by  his 
alacrity  and  intrepidity,  as  he  had  throughout  the  voy- 
age by  his  modesty  and  fidelity.  Observing  that  in 
every  emergency  he  was  not  less  brave  than  any  of  the 


* 

MEMOIR. 


crew,  whilst  he  was  always  reliable  and  trustworthy,  the 
captain,  on  the  voyage  home,  promoted  him  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  quarter  deck. 

To  overcome  his  scruples  and  aversion  to  what  seemed 
so  much  like  highway  robbery,  that  even  the  love  of  ad- 
venture could  not  gloss  it  over,  he  was  offered  the  privi- 
lege of  supercargo,  to  induce  him  to  embark  again  in 
another  cruise.  This  tempting  offer  reached  him  in  the 
family  cabin  at  Carlisle,  surrounded  by  his  mother  and 
sisters,  whose  affectionate  endeavors  to  dissuade  him 
from  its  acceptance  only  increased  his  desire  to  earn 
something  for  himself  and  them.  He  decided  to  go  back 
to  sea.  He  invested  his  share  of  the  prize  money  in 
whiskey  and  flour,  and  had  crossed  the  Susquehanna  with 
his  wagon  on  his  way  to  Philadelphia,  when  he  received  a 
commission  of  Ensign  in  the  First  Pennsylvania  regi- 
ment. He  gladly  disposed  of  his  produce  at  Harrisburg, 
and  joined  the  army  at  Little  York.  This  was  shortly 
after  the  mutiny  in  the  Pennsylvania  line.  In  his  mili- 
tary journal,  which  then  commences,  he  describes  the 
pain  he  felt  at  being  obliged  to  witness  the  execution. 

Then  followed  Wayne's  forced  marches  into  Virginia, 
and  the  first  action  of  the  Pennsylvania  troops,  under 
Lieutenant- Colonel  Richard  Butler,  near  Williamsburg, 
where  they  had  a  desperate  encounter  with  Simcoe; 
the  British  partisan  and  his  rangers  being  very  much 
emboldened  by  their  recent  success  at  the  junction  of  the 
Eivanna  and  Fluvanna  rivers,  at  which  point,  with  a  de- 
tachment of  yagers,  infantry  and  hussars,  they  fright- 
ened the  Baron  Steuben  into  a  night  retreat  of  thirty 


8  MEMOIR. 

miles,  and  destroyed  the  greater  part  of  his  stores  scat- 
tered along  the  river  bank ;  although  .he  was  at  the  head 
of  five  hundred  Virginia  regulars,  with  some  militia,  sep- 
arated from  the  enemy  by  deep  water,  and  the  boats  all 
on  his  own  side.  This  was  Steuben's  first  and  only  sep- 
arate command. 

Soon  after,  Wayne,  who  also  was  credulous,  but  in  the 
opposite  way,  attempted  to  surprise  Cornwallis.  He  ex- 
pected to  find  his  army  partly  crossed  over  and  divided 
by  the  James  river.  Our  young  ensign,  the  extent  of 
whose  marching  of  late  had  been  the  length  of  his  quar- 
ter deck,  frankly  confesses  that  he  could  not  keep  up 
with  his  company.  As  they  were  coming  into  action,  his 
captain  and  fellow  townsman,  falling  behind  and  walk- 
ing by  his  side,  quietly  said  to  him,  "Now,  Eb.,  for  the 
honor  of  old  Carlisle,  do  not  disgrace  yourself."  Mont- 
gomery made  this  rallying  appeal  to  the  memory  of  their 
native  place,  supposing  that  his  young  townsman  was 
going  into  his  first  action ;  probably  not  knowing  that  the 
youngster  was  fresh  from  the  perils  of  the  sea,  and  famil- 
iar with  the  smoke  of  gunpowder  on  the  deck  of  a  pri- 
vateer. The  boldness  of  their  commander  advanced 
them  into  a  position  of  great  danger,  from  which  they 
were  extricated  only  by  still  greater  daring.  Cornwallis, 
astonished  at  the  hardihood  of  the  attack,  sent  a  red- 

'  O 

ment  of  infantry  to  meet  him,  and  cautiously  deploy- 
ed his  whole  army  to  the  right  and  left.  The  regi- 
ment of  British  infantry,  in  front  of  the  American  line, 
marched  up  in  open  order,  with  perfect  regularity; 
Wayne  reserving  his  fire  until  they  were  within  a  dis- 


MEMOIR.  9 

tance  of  seventy  paces,  when  both  lines  enchanged  shots 
for  a  few  minutes.  .  The  hero  of  Stony  Point  was  in  full 
uniform — his  horse  prancing  in  front  of  the  Pennsylva- 
nia infantry,  his  face  glowing  with  pleasure.  He  seemed 
to  Ensign  Denny,  who  stood  near  him,  to  be  amused  with 
the  loss  of  his  plume,  which  was  cut  off  by  a  ball  on  the 
first  fire.  Nearly  all  the  field  officers  were  dismounted. 

A  young  officer,  acting  in  the  staff,  whose  pantaloons 
were  rubbed  by  some  bleeding  horse,  imagining  himself 
wounded,  fainted,  and  was  carried  off  the  field.  Being 
very  handsome,  one  of  the  few  young  men  of  fortune  in 
the  army  who  could  afford  to  dress  well,  he  was  envied 
by  his  brother  officers,  who  made  the  most  of  the  acci- 
dent to  laugh  him  out  of  the  service.  Ensign  Denny 
was  the  only  officer  in  the  company  who  was  not  wounded. 
The  captain  and  lieutenant  were  disabled  at  the  first 
fire.  The  troops  retreated  by  companies.  Montgomery's 
fell  to  the  command  of  the  ensign.  They  recrossed  the 
swamp  by  the  narrow  causeway,  in  good  order,  but  with 
such  expedition,  that  he  could  again  hardly  keep  up  with 
the  men.  But  "  thanks  to  the  veteran  first  sergeant, 
the  most  important  officer,"  he  remarked,  "in  a  company, 
they  were  kept  together." 

The  unexampled  hardihood  of  Wayne,  persisting  to 
advance,  and  actually  fighting  after  he  must  have 
been  aware  that  the  whole  British  army  were  at 
hand,  perplexed  Cornwallis,  made  him  apprehend  an 
ambuscade,  and  hesitate  in  his  pursuit.  Otherwise, 
Wayne  and  all  his  force  would  have  been  taken.  The 
loss  of  the  Americans  in  this  battle,  according  to  Mr. 


10  M  E  M  0  I  E  . 

Denny's  account,  was  one  hundred  and  eighteen  killed 
wounded  and  prisoners,  including  ten  officers. 

Subsequently,  at  the  siege  of  York,  on  the  night  of 
the  14th  October,  Ensign  Denny  was  in  the  advance  at- 
tack on  the  redoubts,  in  which  the  Pennsylvania  troops 
distinguished  themselves  under  the  lead  of  Hamilton. 
In  the  ceremony  of  the  surrender,  Lieutenant- Colonel 
Richard  Butler,  (afterward  General  Butler,  killed  at 
St.  Glair's  defeat,)  in  honor  of  his  recent  services  and  the 
signal  part  his  regiment  had  taken  in  the  capture  of  the 
redoubt,  was  appointed  to  plant  the  first  American  flag 
upon  the  British  parapet. 

Colonel  Butler,  who  was  a  short  heavy  person,  detailed 
for  this  service  his  youngest  ensign,  in  his  figure  and 
stature  a  contrast  to  himself;  probably  partial  to  him, 
as  coming  from  his  own  town,  Carlisle.  The  young 
officer  mounted  the  parapet,  in  the  presence  of  the 
three  armies,  and  was  in  the  act  of  planting  the 
flag-staff,  when  the  Baron  Steuben  rode  out  of  the  lines, 
dismounted,  took  the  flag,  and  planted  it  himself.  The 
disappointed  and  mortified  subaltern  had  nothing  to  do 
but  submit.  But  not  so  his  colonel,  the  hero  who  had 
avenged  the  Baron's  flight  from  Simcoe.  He,  that  night, 
sent  the  arrogant  foreigner  a  message,  as  every  one  ex- 
pected, and  it  took  all  the  influence  of  Rochambeau  and 
Washington  to  prevent  a  hostile  meeting. 

Perhaps  there  was  some  excuse  for  the  Prussian  mar- 
tinet, in  the  fact,  that  a  dispute  on  a  point  of  military 
etiquette  had  arisen  among  the  general  staff  at  head- 
quarters, in  which  Lafayette  and  Rochambeau  took  op- 


.*• 

MEMOIE.  11 

posite  sides ;  the  Marquis  contending  that  he  should 
"take  the  flag,"  and  the  Count  claiming  the  right  for 
the  Baron  Steuben. 

In  no  part  of  his  diary  or  correspondence  does  he  allude 
to  the  subject  of  two  duels,  in  which  he  was  concerned  as 
second.  One  of  these  affairs  grew  out  of  some  offense  given 
to  the  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  by  a  brother  officer.  The 
aggressor,  as  was  his  custom,  when  he  thought  he  had 
offended  an  officer  of  lower  grade,  was  seen  in  camp 
next  day  without  his  epaulets,  to  show  that  he  waived 
his  rank,  and  was  ready  to  give  satisfaction.  The  sur- 
geon, like  many  other  surgeons  in  the  Revolutionary 
army,  was  a  brave  man,  and  expert  with  the  pistol ;  nev- 
ertheless, at  the  hostile  meeting  which  followed,  they 
exchanged  shots  without  effect,  very  much  to  the  sur- 
prise of  the  challenged  party,  who  at  first  accused  his 
friend  of  having  loaded  the  pistols  only  with  powder ; 
but  on  being  shown  the  trees  directly  behind  them, 
freshly  barked  by  the  balls,  recovered  his  good  humor, 
and  requested  him  to  "  prime  and  load."  Lieutenant 
Denny,  instead  of  doing  so,  assured  his  friend  that  he 
was  in  the  wrong,  and  succeeded  in  reconciling  the  com- 
batants before  they  left  the  field.  They  walked  back  to 
the  camp,  arm  in  arm,  the  officer  congratulating  himself 
that  he  had  not  killed  his  doctor. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  they  were  officers  of  the 
army — at  a  time  when  dueling  was  more  than  now  the 
fashion — were  on  the  soil  of  Virginia,  where  the  custom 
was  indigenous — and  in  the  presence  of  our  allies,  the 
French  chivalry. 


12  MEMOIK. 

Ensign  Denny,  as  appears  from  his  journal,  was  after- 
ward with  Lieutenant-Colonel  Josiah  Harmar,  and  the 
First  Pennsylvania  regiment,  in  the  Carolinas — under 
the  command  of  General  St.  Glair,  and  at  Charleston, 
during  its  investment,  and  after  its  evacuation. 

In  the  order  book  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Harmar, 
dated  Philadelphia,  August  27th,  1784,  we  find  him  ar- 
ranged as  ensign  in  Captain  M'Curdy's  company  of 
infantry.  From  that  time,  throughout  the  campaigns  of 
Harmar  and  St.  Glair,  and  his  own  expedition  to  Presqu' 
Isle,  his  diary  is  a  sufficient  sketch  of  his  life  for  that 
period.  The  Adjutant  of  Harmar  and  the  Aid-de-camp 
of  St.  Clair,  no  one  had  better  opportunities  of  obtaining 
authentic  information. 

When  the  United  States  Commissioners  were  at  Fort 
Finney,  waiting  for  the  Shawanees  to  come  in  to  the  treaty, 
General  Clark  kept  aloof  from  his  colleagues.  There 
appeared  to  be  some  jealousy  and  coolness  between  them. 
But  to  the  young  commandant,  Lieutenant  Denny,  he 
was  like  a  father.  He  invited  him  to  pass  his  evenings 
at  his  tent ;  threw  off  his  reserve,  and  talked  about  his 
own  adventures.  He  told  him  that  frequently,  at  night, 
when  his  soldiers  lay  upon  their  arms,  he  has  crept,  on 
all  fours,  to  the  neighboring  lick,  with  only  his  tomahawk, 
for  fear  of  alarming  the  Indians,  watched  for  the  deer  to 
pass,  and  selecting  a  young  one,  killed  it,  and  carried  it 
back  to  the  bivouac  for  the  supper  of  his  men.  He  was 
a  stout,  rather  short,  square  man,  with  a  high,  broad  fore- 
head, sandy  hair,  blue  eyes,  and  heavy,  shaggy  eye-brows. 
With  his  personal  prowess,  hardihood  and  capacity  for 


M  E  M  O  I  K  .  13 

detail,  there  was  always  comprehensive  wisdom  in  his 
plan  and  purpose.  He  raised  his  force  and  supplies 
promptly.  He  knew  exactly,  and  therefore  never  over- 
rated the  dangers  in  the  way.  He  marched  quietly  to  his 
distant  object  and  took  it  by  surprise.  There  was  no 
martial  pageant,  no  ostentatious  alid  pompous  parade. 
He  threaded  the  forest  silently — or  on  his  Chickasaw 
ponies  galloped  across  the  prairies,  and  gave  the  first 
notice  of  his  presence  to  the  savages  by  his  flag  sup- 
planting that  of  their  great  allies.  Hence  that  prestige, 
that  renown  amongst  them  which  was  of  such  value  to 
carry  on  hostilities  or  dictate  a  peace.  When  he  was 
present,  the  great  warriors  never  noticed  any  other 
General. 

The  night  on  which  his  little  party  from  Kentucky 
reached  the  Kaskaskia  river  at  Menard's  Grap,  they  saw 
on  the  opposite  bank  the  Jesuits'  seminary  lighted  up, 
and  heard  issuing  from  it  the  sounds  of  the  violin. 
Clark,  leaving  his  horses  and  most  of  his  men  on  the 
eastern  side,  waded  across  at  the  warm  ford.  It  was 
a  ball  given  by  the  British  officers  to  the  French  inhab- 
itants. He  placed  one  of  his  men  quietly  at  each. door, 
outside,  with  orders  to  let  none  pass.  He  himself,  wrap- 
ped in  his  blanket  capot,  his  arms  folded,  leaning  against 
the  door-cheek,  looked  in  upon  the  dance.  An  Indian 
who  lay  on  the  floor  of  the  entry,  intently  gazing  at  his 
features  in  the  light  reflected  from  the  room,  suddenly 
sprang  to  his  feet  and  gave  the  war-whoop.  The  dancing 
ceased,  the  ladies  screamed,  and  the  Frenchmen  rushed 
to  the  door.  Clark,  without  moving  from  his  position, 


14  MEMOIR. 

or  changing  his  grave  expression,  desired  them  to  go  on 
with  the  dance.  "The  only  difference  is,"  said  he,  "you 
now  dance  tinder  Virginia,  instead  of  Great  Britain."  At 
day-light  he  and  his  mounted  men  were  opposite  to  Fort 
Chartiers,  on  the  crest  of  the  bluff,  and  by  inarching  along 
its  profile  so  as  to  be  seen  from  the  fort,  countermarch- 
ing out  of  sight  and  again  showing  themselves  in  a  con- 
tinuous file,  his  force  appeared  so  large  that  the  much 
more  numerous  enemy  capitulated  without  a  shot. 

The  massacre  of  the  Blue  Licks  recalled  him  to  Ken- 
tucky. He  described  to  Lieutenant  Denny  the  panic  in 
the  settlements,  in  the  face  of  which  he  beat  up  for  vol- 
unteers; and  what  no  other  man  could  have  done,  he 
promptly  raised  a  party  and  hung  on  the  bloody  flanks 
of  the  enemy.  His  masterly  march  on  the  Wabash  and 
capture  of  Post  St.  Vincent,  he  related  somewhat  dif- 
ferent from,  and  without  the  flourish  of  history. 

After  his  conquest  of  Illinois,  he  was  voted  a  sword 
by  the  State  of  Virginia.  The  bearer  of  it  met  the  grave 
and  discontented  hero  on  the  bank  of  the  Wabash.  He 
was  anxiously  waiting  for  news  that  the  House  of  Dele- 
gates had  passed  his  accounts,  and  had  voted  money  to  pay 
them,  to  enable  him  to  make  good  his  engagements,  on 
sudden  emergencies,  for  supplies  to  his  men.  He  was 
disappointed.  He  took  the  sword — drew  it  from  its  scab- 
bard, and  placing  the  point  to  the  ground,  thrust  it  deep 
in  the  soil  he  had  conquered,  and  broke  it  off  by  the  hilt. 
Throwing  away  the  glittering  handle,  he  said,  "  I  asked 
Virginia  for  bread,  and  she  sent  me  a  sword! " 

During  the  campaign  of  1790,  and  at  the  battle  of  the 


MEMOIR.  15 

Maumee  towns,  the  Journal  and  letters  of  Major  Denny, 
who  was  in  fact  the  acting  Adjutant- General  of  the  army, 
state  so  fully  every  military  occurrence,  and  his  deposi- 
tion before  the  court  of  inquiry,  on  the  conduct  of  the 
commander,  is  so  clear  a  summary,  that  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  refer  to  them. 

The  reader  will  see  that  there  runs  through  the  whole 
a  vein  of  loyal  attachment  to  the  gallant  and  accom- 
plished Harmar,  which  has  the  ring  and  lustre  of  the 
pure  metal,  and  does  honor  to  them  both. 

On  the  14th  December,  1790,  President  Washington 
communicated  to  Congress  a  military  dispatch  from  the 
Governor  of  the  ]STorth-Western  Territory,  dated  Novem- 
ber 6th,  in  which  General  St.  Clair  says:  "Mr.  Denny, 
the  gentleman  who  takes  General  Harmar's  dispatches, 
I  beg  leave  to  mention  to  you  in  a  particular  manner; 
and  if  you  will  be  pleased  to  do  so  to  the  President  in 
his  favor,  you  may  be  assured  he  will  not  disappoint  any 
expectations  that  may  be  formed.  He  has  every  quality 
that  I  could  wish  a  young  man  to  possess,  who  meant  to 
make  the  army  his  profession.  There  are,  however, 
some  other  traits  in  his  character  as  a  man,  that  are  not 
generally  known,  that  would  endear  him.  Out  of  the 
little  pittance  he  receives,  he  has  maintained  two  aged 
parents  for  a  long  time." 1 

In  Brigadier- General  Harmar's  dispatch  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  War,  dated  November  4,  1790,  after  giving  an 
account  of  the  battle,  he  says:  "The  bearer,  Lieutenant 
Denny,  is  my  Adjutant.  It  will  afford  me  great  satisfac- 

1  American  State  Papers,  vol.  iv.  on  Indian  Affairs,  page  104. 


16  MEMO  IE. 

tion  to  know  that  some  mark  of  honor  will  be  shown 
him.  His  long  and  faithful  services  merit  it.  There  is 
a  vast  deal  of  business  in  this  western  country.  If  there 
is  no  impropriety  in  giving  me  an  aid-de-camp,  I  wish 
him  to  be  the  person."  At  the  foot  of  the  General's  letter 
lie  says:  "K  B.  My  Adjutant  is  really  and  truly  an 
officer."1 

Major  Denny's  habitual  reserve  on  the  events  of  his 
military  life,  was  by  no  means  lessened  on  the  subject  of 
the  melancholy  scenes  of  the  4th  of  November,  1791. 
As  he  says  in  his  Journal,  he  recurred  to  them  with  pain 
and  reluctance. 

The  unfortunate  commander  himself,  modest  and  dig- 
nified as  he  was,  more  frequently  conversed  on  the  sub- 
ject, in  his  retirement  at  Chestnut  Ridge.  To  his  neigh- 
bor, still  living,  the  venerable  Alexander  Johnston,  he 
said  that  nothing  had  ever  given  him  more  concern  than 
his  having  dispatched  his  aid-de-camp,  Major  Denny, 
whose  worth,  and  the  value  of  whose  life,  no  one  more 
appreciated,  upon  a  most  desperate  mission,  from  which, 
on  reflection,  he  had  no  hope  of  ever  seeing  him  return 
alive.  This  was  probably  at  the  commencement  of  the 
attack  on  the  4th  of  November,  when  with  Colonel  Old- 
ham  he  rode  forward  to  the  creek,  where  the  Indians  had 
driven  in  the  militia,  and  vainly  endeavoring  to  arrest 
their  flight,  that  brave  Kentuckian  was  shot  by  his  side 
and  fell  from  his  horse,  execrating  the  cowardice  of  his 
men. 

1  Documents,  Legislative  and  Executive,  Congress  United  States,  1st  to 
3d  Session  of  the  13th  Congress. 


MEMO  IE.  17 

In  the  confusion  of  the  battle,  when  the  officers  were 
nearly  all  killed  or  wounded,  John  Morgan,  the  aid 
of  the  disabled  Butler,  rode  up  to  Major  Denny  and 
asked  for  orders.  His  horse,  covered  with  blood,  rubbed 
his  wounded  face  on  the  Major's  pantaloons.  This  was 
not  noticed  at  the  time ;  and  afterward  General  St.  Clair 
observing  the  blood,  said  to  his  aid-de-camp,  "Major, 
you  are  wounded."  The  latter  dismounted,  drew  off  his 
boot,  but  finding  no  wound,  recollected  Morgan's  horse. 
The  General  smiled  and  said,  "  Don't  you  remember  the 
Irish  beauty?" — alluding  to  the  young  officer  at  the  bat- 
tle of  James  River,  who  perceiving  his  pantaloon  stained 
in  the  same  way,  supposed  himself  wounded,  and  was 
carried  off  the  field.  This  was  told  to  the  writer  by  his 
father,  as  an  instance  of  General  St.  Glair's  coolness  and 
self-possession  in  the  midst  of  the  panic. 

After  General  Butler  had  received  his  first  wound,  he 
continued  to  walk  in  front  close  along  the  line,  with  his 
coat  off  and  his  arm  in  a  sling,  encouraging  the  men,  and 
retired  only  after  receiving  a  second  wound  in  the  side. 
The  Commander-in-chief  sent  Major  Denny,  with  his 
compliments,  to  inquire  how  he  was.  He  found  him  in 
the  middle  of  the  camp,  in  a  sitting  posture,  supported 
by  knapsacks  —  the  rifle  balls  of  the  Indians,  who  now 
surrounded  closely  the  whole  camp,  concentrated  upon 
that  point.  One  of  the  wounded  General's  servants  and 
two  of  his  horses  were  shot  there.  He  seemed,  however, 
to  have  no  anxiety,  and  to  the  inquiry  of  the  aid- de- 
camp, he  answered  that  he  felt  well.  Whilst  making 
this  reply,  a  young  cadet  from  Virginia,  who  stood  at  his 
2 


18  MEM  OIK. 

side,  was  hit  on  the  cap  of  the  knee  by  a  spent  ball,  and 
cried  so  loudly  with  the  pain  and  alarm,  that  General 
Butler  actually  shook  his  wounded  side  with  laughter. 
This  satisfied  Major  Denny  that  the  second  wound  was 
not  mortal,  that  the  General  being  very  fleshy,  the  ball 
might  not  have  penetrated  a  vital  part.  He  always  be- 
lieved that  he  might  have  been  brought  away  and  his 
life  saved.  Probably  his  own  aid-de-camp,  Major  John 
Morgan,  may  have  offered  to  bring  him  off,  as  was  his 
clutv,  and  the  wounded  General  declined,  conscious  that 

v   ' 

his  weight  and  helplessness  would  only  encumber  his 
brave  young  friend  for  no  use,  and  hinder  him  from 
saving  himself. 

It  is  among  the  traditions  of  the  family  at  Carlisle, 
that  as  their  relative  rode  in  the  rear  of  the  retreating 
army,  a  woman  caught  his  horse  by  its  long  tail,  and 
held  on,  although  threatened  with  hoof  and  sword.  She 
was  rewarded  for  her  confidence  in  his  generosity  by 
being  taken  up  behind,  and  carried  in  safety  to  Fort 
Jefferson. 

The  first  intelligence  of  the  disastrous  termination  of 
St.  Glair's  campaign  was  brought  to  Philadelphia  by  his 
aid- de-camp,  who  rode  down  Market  street  on  the  gal- 
lant little  horse  which  had  borne  his  tired  rider  night 
and  day  from  Fort  Pitt,  and  now  reined  up,  bespat- 
tered with  mud,  at  the  President's  mansion.  General 
Washington  had  a  party  at  dinner  that  evening.  A 
servant  came  up  stairs,  and  said  that  a  young  officer 
from  the  army  had  a  letter  fur  the  President.  The  private 
secretary,  Mr.  Tobias  Lear,  was  sent  down  to  receive  it. 


MEMOIR.  19 

The  officer  said  that  his  orders  were  to  give  the  dispatch 
to  the  President  only,  which  being  told  to  Washington, 
he  came  down  to  the  ante-room  and  i-eceived  it.  He  had 
not  read  more  than  a  few  lines,  until  he  perceived  its 
import,  and  broke  out  in  expressions,  which  the  young 
officer  did  not  set  down  in  his  diary,  but  which  Mr. 
Tobias  Lear,  the  private  secretary,  recorded  in  his  private 
journal,  to  be  published  at  this  late  day,  and  cited  in 
confirmation  of  the  probable  truth  of  the  allegation,  that 
Washington  swore  profanely  at  that  traitor,  Lee,  in  the 
battle  of  Monmouth. 

In  a  most  violent  passion,  says  the  secretary,  he  ex- 
claimed, "  Did  I  not  in  the  last  words  I  said  to  him,  warn 
him  against  a  surprise?"  As  if  a  surprise  was  the  only 
thing  to  be  feared,  the  only  advantage  needed  by  an 
enemy,  brave  by  nature,  and  trained  to  war  from  child- 
hood, to  enable  them  to  vanquish  an  equal  number  of 
undisciplined  troops,  raw  from  the  jails  of  the  cities, 
poorly  equipped,  hurried  off,  late  in  the  season,  to  fight 
them,  united  in  their  forest  home — and  to  be  "sur- 
prised " — as  indeed  they  were — only  because  the  second 
in  command,  the  officer  of  the  day,  would  not  permit  the 
information,  regularly  had,  that  the  enemy  were  near  the 
camp  in  unusual  numbers,  "to  go  beyond  his  own  tent." 
His  bravery,  his  exertions  during  the  day  to  redeem  it 
from  the  consequences  of  his  fault,  and  his  fate,  made 
some  atonement. 

But  there  was  no  excuse  for  the  President  attaching  to 
the  expedition  an  officer  of  his  high  rank  and  preten- 
sions, without  giving  him  the  command-in-chief.  There 


20  MEMOIR. 

was  no  excuse  for  his  sending  against  the  Indians,  all 
united  under  Brant,  a  force  not  more  numerous  than 
them,  and  so  irregular  and  mutinous  that  it  took  the  best 
regiment  to  protect  the  convoys  of  provisions  from  the 

deserters. 

After  Major  Denny's  resignation  and  retirement  to 
civil  life,  he  married,  on  the  first  of  July,  1793,  Nancy 
Wilkins,  also  a  native  of  Carlisle ;  the  youngest  daugh- 
ter, by  the  first  wife,  of  John  Wilkins,  Sr.,  formerly 
of  that  place,  who  was  a  captain  of  a  volunteer  company 
in  the  Revolution  and  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine.  Be- 
fore removing  to  Pittsburgh,  Captain  Wilkins  resided 
for  some  time  at  Bedford,  and  represented  Bedford 
county  in  the  Convention  of  1777,  which  formed  the  first 
Constitution  of  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Denny  was  the  sis- 
ter, by  the  same  mother,  of  John  Wilkins,  Jr.,  a  sur- 
geon's mate  in  the  Revolutionary  army,  afterward 
Quarter-master  General ;  of  Charles  Wilkins,  of  Lexing- 
ton, Kentucky ;  and  of  the  Hon.  William  Wilkins,  of 
Homewood. 

In  1794,  Ebenezer  Denny  was  again  commissioned  a 
captain,  and  commanded  the  expedition  to  Le  Boeuf,  the 
ostensible  object  of  which  was  to  protect  the  commission- 
ers in  laying  out  a  town  at  Presqu'  Isle  —  but  the  real 
and  important  purpose,  to  prevent  the  Six  Nations  uniting 
with  the  Miami  Indians  against  Wayne. 

Major  Denny,  as  instructed  by  Governor  Mifflin,  kept 
a  journal,  in  which  he  entered  minutely  every  occurrence 
on  the  expedition.  In  transcribing  his  original  diary,  he 
thought  many  of  the  details  not  worth  preserving.  But 


MEMOIR.  21 

it  is  believed  that  even  the  daily  entries  of  the  weather 
on  French  Creek,  sixty  years  ago,  are  not  without  inter- 
est at  present. 

In  the  years  1795  and  1796,  Major  Denny  resided  with 
his  young  family  at  his  farm  and  mill,  about  six  miles 
from  Pittsburgh,  near  the  Monongahela,  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  river,  where  the  road  to  M'Keesport 
crosses  Street's  Run.  Whilst  residing  there  he  was  ta- 
ken up  as  a  candidate  for  the  State  Legislature.  His 
opponent  was  John  B.  C.  Lucas,  a  native  of  France,  only 
recently  an  emigrant  from  that  country.  The  result 
shows  the  force  at  that  time  of  party  spirit.  On  one  side 
was  a  native  of  the  State,  a  Revolutionary  officer,  who 
but  lately  served  with  credit  in  three  expeditions  against 
the  Indians ;  the  last  one  of  which  he  himself  command- 
ed. Many  of  the  early  settlers  in  the  election  district, 
and  most  of  the  influential  men  amongst  them,  had 
served  under  him.  On  the  other  hand,  a  foreigner, 
speaking  the  English  language  with  difficulty  —  but  a 
short  time  from  Europe  —  his  family  not  attempting  to 
conciliate  the  prejudices  of  their  puritanical  neighbors — 
having  himself  the  reputation  of  being  an  "avowed 
Atheist"  —  his  wife  "plowing  on  Sunday." 

Lucas'  farm  was  about  half  a  mile  lower  down  the 
Monongahela,  on  the  brow  of  Coal  Hill,  the  high  bluff 
which  flanks  that  river  on  the  south  side.  They  were 
near  neighbors.  On  the  morning  of  the  election,  Lucas, 
on  his  way  to  the  polls,  passing  the  mill,  exchanged 
friendly  salutations  with  his  rival.  "Your  father,"  (I 
shall  give  Judge  Lucas'  own  words,)  "your  father  asked 


22  M  E  M  O  I  E  . 

me  to  wait  until  he  got  his  horse;  he  supposed  I  was 
going  to  the  election,  and  said  he  would  go  along.     We 
rode  together  to  the  place  in  Mifflin  township  where  the 
election  was  held.     Arriving  on  the  ground,  the  country 
people  shook  hands  with  him,  inquired  about  his  health 
and  his  family,  but  spoke  not  a  word  to  me  —  no  man 
spoke  to  Lucas  —  not  one.     Your  father,  being  a  modest 
man,  said  to  me,  'Lucas,  we  have  no  business  here;  let 
us  vote  and  go  home.'    We  did  so.    On  my  return,  Mrs. 
Lucas  said,  'Well,  Lucas,  how  goes  on  the  election?'  I  re- 
plied, ' Oh!  they  are  all  for  Major  Denny.     They  greeted 
him  in  the  kindest  manner  —  no  one  spoke  to  Lucas.' 
She  agreed  with  me  that  my  chance  was  bad.     However, 
next  morning  the  return  judges  calling  with  us  on  their 
way  to  town,  stated  that  I  had  a  majority  in  the  town- 
ship —  in  fact  I  was  elected.     Next  year,  or  year  after, 
your  father  was  a  candidate  for  Commissioner  of  the 
county,  and  received  nearly  every  vote  —  that  not  being 
then  considered  a  party  question."     This  was  about  three 
or  four  years  after  the  meeting   of  the   insurgents  at 
Braddock's  Field,  to  which  convention  no  small  delega- 
tion went  from  Mifflin  township.     The  greater  part  of 
the  voters  had  indeed  been  "Whiskey  Boys."     "Your 
father,"  said  Lucas,  "was  the  'family  candidate' — the 
brother-in-law  of  General  John  Wilkins,  the  obnoxious 
Quarter-master  who  would  not  buy  the  illicit  whiskey." 
Calumnies  circulated  on  the  ground  to  the  prejudice  of 
Lucas  were  promptly  and  warmly  contradicted  by  Major 
Denny,  to  whom  a  few  confidently  referred  those  who  be- 
lieved that  he  killed  his  son  in  a  fit  of  passion,  and  that 


MEMOIR.  23 

his  wife,  during  his  absence  in  France,  had  "plowed  on 
Sunday." 

It  was  well  known  that  Lucas,  as  well  as  Gallatin,  was 
identified  with  the  popular  cause.  No  one  knew  better 
how  to  avail  himself  of  rural  political  prejudices.  At 
the  same  time  neither  he  nor  Gallatin  were  in  favor  of 
extreme  measures.  Mr.  Gallatin,  on  his  way  to  and  from 
Pittsburghf-son  the  road  home  to  New  Geneva,  was  ac- 
customed to  stop  and  spend  the  night  with  Lucas.  After 
the  convention  at  Pittsburgh,  he  called  as  usual  and  re- 
mained all  night.  He  had  with  him  a  fresh  proof  of  the 
resolutions  adopted  by  the  meeting.  He  showed  them 
to  Lucas,  and  asked  what  he  thought  of  them.  "In  my 
opinion,"  he  replied,  "they  are  too  strong."  "I  think  so 
too,"  said  Gallatin;  "it  was  not  my  fault  that  they  are 
so." 

The  next  year  Major  Denny  being  elected  Commission- 
er of  the  county,  returned  to  his  residence  in  town.  Lu- 
cas and  he  sold  their  farms  —  Lucas  to  go  to  the  newly 
acquired  territory  of  Louisiana  as  a  Territorial  Judge. 
The  five  thousand  dollars  which  he  got  for  his  Mononga- 
hela  farm,  he  laid  out  in  a  Spanish  grant,  then  adjacent 
to  St.  Louis — now  the  finest  part  of  that  city — and  worth 
nearly  as  many  millions  of  dollars.  Whilst  sitting  as  a 
judge  in  the  territorial  court,  there  came  on  for  trial  a 
case  in  which  his  old  neighbor,  Ebenezer  Denny,  was 
plaintiff,  and  Alexander  M'Nair  defendant.  M'Nair  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers,  was  married  to  a  lady  who  be- 
longed to  one  of  the  most  influential  French  families. 
He  was  well  known,  very  popular,  and  was  elected  the 


24  MEMOIK. 

first  Governor  of  the  State  of  Missouri,  beating  Gen- 
eral William  Clark.  On  the  other  hand,  Ebenezer  Den- 
ny was  a  non-resident,  not  present  at  the  trial,  and  per- 
sonally unknown  to  the  jurors.  Seeing,  therefore,  such 
odds  against  him,  Judge  Lucas  undertook  to  charge  the 
jury,  which  he  did  in  French  and  English:  "When  I 
lived,"  said  he,  "in  Pennsylvania,  I  was  the  next  neigh- 
bor to  the  plaintiff;  we  differed  in  politics — we  were 
opposing  candidates  for  office,  but  there  never  was  a  more 
honest  man.  It  is  impossible  that  he  could  set  up  any 
claim  that  was  not  just  and  true."  The  jury,  without 
leaving  the  box,  found  a  verdict  for  the  plaintiff  for  the 
amount  he  claimed. 

Although  it  appears  from  his  correspondence,  that  he 
was  an  applicant  for  office  at  the  organization  of  the  new 
counties  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  it  is  very  certain  that 
he  never  received  any  civil  appointment  whatever  from 
the  government,  State  or  Federal.  This  may  have  been 
owing  to  a  diffidence  which  kept  him  in  the  background, 
or  a  soldierly  stiffness  which  made  him  a  bad  courtier. 
In  his  letter  of  the  14th  December,  1796,  to  General 
Harmar,  the  intimate  personal  friend  of  Governor  Mif- 
flin,  he  says  quite  as  much  for  his  competitor,  George 
Thompson,  as  he  does  for  himself. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  he  entered 
into  partnership  in  business,  with  Anthony  Beelen,  a 
Belgian,  introduced  to  him  by  his  father,  the  Austrian 
Minister,  Francis,  Baron  de  Belen  Bartholf.  Denny  and 
Beelen  were  concerned  with  Lafleur,  or  "Falure,"  a 
Frenchman,  in  a  glass  works,  probably  the  second  or 


MEMOIR.  25 

third  factory  of  the  kind  established  at  Pittsburgh.  It 
was  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Ohio,  opposite  the  ripple  at 
the  head  of  Brunot's,  the  first  island ;  hence  the  name — 
" Grlass-liouse  Riffle" 

In  1803,  he  was  Treasurer  of  Allegheny  county.  He 
appears  first  on  the  list  of  the  County  Treasurers  —  and 
was  again  Treasurer  in  1808. 

In  1804,  Ebenezer  Denny  was  appointed  a  Director  of 
the  Branch  of  the  Bank  of  Pennsylvania,  established 
that  year  at  Pittsburgh.  This  was  the  first  bank  west 
of  the  mountains.  "  The  Miami  Exporting  Company  " 
was  not  then  a  bank,  and  did  not  become  so  until  after- 
ward. Three  years  subsequently  a  bank  was  started  in 
Kentucky,  under  the  name  of  "The  Kentucky  Insurance 
Company."  It  was,  in  reality,  an  institution  for  banking 
purposes.  Like  the  bank  established  the  same  year  in 
Nashville,  it  failed,  as  did  the  Bank  of  Kentucky  and  its 
branches,  some  years  after. 

The  Branch  of  the  Bank  of  Pennsylvania  at  Pitts- 
burgh was  subsequently  transferred  to  and  merged  in 
the  office  of  the  Bank  of  the  United  States.  Thomas 
"Wilson,  who  had  been  a  Teller  in  the  Bank  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, subsequently,  through  the  influence  of  Langdon 
Cheves,  was  made  principal  Cashier  of  the  Bank  of  the 
United  States  in  Philadelphia.  In  this  capacity  Wilson 
again  visited  Pittsburgh  during  the  great  money  pres- 
sure and  general  insolvency  of  1819.  He  came  out  with 
full  powers  to  settle  with  the  debtors  of  the  western 
oifices.  Major  Denny,  then  a  Director  of  the  Branch  of 
the  Bank  of  the  United  States,  was  engaged  by  several 


26  MEMOIR. 

of  the  principal  debtors  of  the  Branch,  to  endeavor  to 
induce  Wilson  to  accept  of  property  in  settlement.  He 
was  selected  for  this  purpose,  from  his  own  perfect 
solvency  and  freedom  from  debt  to  the  bank,  and  from 
the  confidence  which  Mr.  Wilson  had,  when  in  the  office 
here,  reposed  in  his  judgment  and  integrity.  Notwith- 
standing that  the  property  of  the  Pittsburgh  debtors 
was  offered  at  a  low  valuation,  it  was  refused.  Similar 
offers  in  Cincinnati  were,  fortunately  for  the  bank,  ac- 
cepted. 

In  the  first  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Branch  of  the 
Bank  of  Pennsylvania  at  Pittsburgh,  five  of  Major 
Denny's  associates  had  been  officers  in  the  army  of  the 
Revolution :  Presley  Neville,  Abraham  Kirkpatrick. 
Adamson  Tannehill,  George  Stevenson  and  John  Wil- 
kins.  Jr.  James  O'Hara,  who  succeeded  John  Wilkins, 
the  first  President,  was  the  President  when  the  Branch 
Bank  of  Pennsylvania  was  transferred  to,  and  merged 
in  the  office  of  the  Bank  of  the  United  States.  Al- 
though not  an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  he  was 
a  Commissary  and  Quarter-master  General  during  the 
subsequent  Indian  hostilities,  and  at  least  a  coadjutor 
with  the  army  in  the  Indian  prolongation  of  the  War 
of  Independence.  James  O'Hara  was  a  man  of  fore- 
sight and  enterprise.  In  partnership  with  Major  Isaac 
Craig,  he  established  the  first  glass  works,  and  was  the 
pioneer  in  that  branch  of  Pittsburgh  manufactures; 
which  next  to,  if  not  more  than  even  iron,  is  the  staple1 
of  the  place. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Pitts- 


•9 
*      » 


M  E  M  O  I  E  .  27 

burgh,  at  this  early  period,  being,  as  it  thus  appears,  re- 
tired officers  of  the  army,  they  necessarily  constituted  a 
majority  in  the  boards  of  trustees  of  the  Church,  of  the 
Academy  and  the  Bank.  Nor  does  it  appear  that  the 
Bank  of  Pennsylvania,  or  its  successor,  the  Bank  of 
the  United  States,  had  any  reason  to  regret  their  confi- 
dence in  these  gentlemen.  Only  one  other  branch  of  the 
United  States,  the  office  at  Mobile,  lost  less  money,  or  was 
more  successfully  managed.  If  in  one  or  two  instances 
directors  were  indebted  to  the  institution,  their  liabilities 
were  fully  liquidated  by  their  estates.  To  these  brave 
men  the  country  was  a  debtor  when  they  died,  and 
continues  so  to  the  descendants  of  most  of  them.  But 
no  one  lost  by  them. 

It  is  remarkable  how  many  of  the  original  settlers  at 
Pittsburgh  had  been  officers  in  the  Revolutionary  army : 
Colonels  John  and  Presley  Neville,  William  Butler; 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Stephen  Bayard;  Majors  Isaac  Craig, 
Ebenezer  Denny,  Edward  Butler,  Alexander  Fowler; 
Captains  Abraham  Kirkpatrick,  Adamson  Tannehill, 
Uriah  Springer,  George  M' Cully,  Nathaniel  Irish,  John 
Irwin,  Joseph  Ashton,  James  Gordon  Heron ;  Lieu- 
tenants Josiah  Tannehill,  William  M'Millan,  Gabriel 
Peterson,  —  Ward ;  Surgeons' -mates  John  Wilkins,  Jr., 
George  Stevenson,  John  M'Dowell.  They  made  quite  a 
colony  of  retired  officers  at  De-un-da-ga. 

In  1805,  Major  Denny  made  preparations  to  move  to 
the  Mississippi,  in  hopes  that  a  southern  and  milder 
climate  would  agree  better  with  the  failing  health  of 
one  dearer  to  him  than  life.  His  old  military  friends, 


gg  M  E  M  0  I  K  . 

Colonel  Sargent,  Dr.  Carmichael,  and  farther  down  the 
hospitable  coast,  the  Butlers,  were  ready  to  receive  them 
with  open  arms.  He  had  a  house  engaged  in  Natchez, 
and  built  a  barge  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  his  family 
down  the  river,  when  the  beloved  person  for  whose 
benefit  the  removal  was  intended,  got  worse,  and  died  on 
the  first  day  of  May,  1806,  in  her  thirty-first  year, 
leaving  three  sons,  Harmar,  William  and  St.  Clair;  and 
two  daughters,  the  youngest  an  infant,  and  following  its 
mother  in  a  few  days. 

There  are  some  old  inhabitants  of  Pittsburgh  who  re- 
member that  young  mother  and  lamented  wife  —  her 
graceful  manners — her  delicate  but  elegant  form  —  ex- 
pressive and  beautiful  features,  and  mind  surpassing  the 
graces  of  her  person ;  who,  if  they  have  ever  read  the 
inscription  on  her  tomb  in  the  old  Presbyterian  grave- 
yard, written  by  Alexander  Addison,  must  have  felt  that 
it  was  no  common -place  exaggeration,  but  like  every- 
thing from  his  pen,  worthy  of  his  warm  heart  and  sound 
judgment,  and  a  just  tribute  to  loveliness  and  virtue 

For  several  years  after  this  period,  Major  Denny  ob- 
tained from  the  War  Department  the  contracts  for  the 
supply  of  rations  to  the  troops  at  Fort  Fayette  and  at 
Presqu'  Isle,  still  retaining,  in  connection  with  these  en- 
gagements, his  mercantile  and  commission  business,  at 
the  north-west  corner  of  Market  and  Third  streets,  in  a 
house  which  he  built  of  the  bricks  of  Fort  Pitt. 

On  the  declaration  of  war  with  England,  his  contract 
obliged  him  to  supply  the  rations  at  Erie  on  thirty  days 
notice.  After  the  surrender  of  Hull,  large  quotas  of 


MEMOIR.  29 

militia  were  suddenly  ordered  to  certain  points  on  the 
lake  shore.  The  contractors  in  Ohio  and  Indiana  claim- 
ing the  benefit  of  that  clause  in  their  contracts  which  en- 
titled them  to  thirty  days  notice,  did  not  attempt  to  meet 
the  requisition.  Major  Denny  was  the  only  contractor 
who  did  not  claim  the  benefit  of  that  provision.  In  Ohio 
and  Indiana  they  all  failed.  He  proceeded  promptly 
and  at  all  sacrifices,  to  forward  the  supplies  to  the  post  at 
Erie.  This  he  did  in  spite  of  the  enhanced  price  of  pro- 
visions and  cost  of  transportation.  Of  course  he  lost  a 
great  deal  of  money  by  his  patriotic  —  I  may  say,  mili- 
tary spirit  on  that  emergency.  However,  Colonel  Eustis, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  seeing  that  he  was  the  only  west- 
ern army  contractor  who  did  not  take  advantage  of  the 
terms  of  his  contract  in  that  respect,  directed  him,  in  ad- 
dition to  his  own  proper  posts  in  Pennsylvania,  to  fur- 
nish, also,  the  supplies  to  the  North-western  army ;  which 
he  did,  and  so  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  General  Har- 
rison, that  at  the  close  of  the  campaign  and  successful 
termination  of  the  war,  he  wrote  a  complimentary  letter 
to  Major  Denny,  thanking  him  for  having  discharged  his 
commissariat  duties  with  so  much  promptness,  energy 
and  ability,  and  ascribing  much  of  the  success  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  war  in  the  North-west  to  his  assistance. 

Major  Denny  managed  this  business  through  well 
chosen  agents,  without  leaving  home,  unless  to  go  to 
Washington  for  the  settlement  of  his  accounts.  He  paid 
these  agents  liberally  —  with  the  principal  one  in  Ohio, 
John  Waddel,  of  Chillicothe,  he  divided  his  profits. 

When  Pittsburgh,  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  on  the 


30  M  E  M  O  I  E  . 

18th  March,  1816,  was  incorporated  into  a  city,  Ebenezer 
Denny  was  elected  the  first  Mayor.  He  declined  a  re- 
election, and  retired  from  all  public  employments,  except 
that  of  Director  in  the  Branch  of  the  Bank  of  the  United 
States,  and  afterward  of  the  Bank  of  Pittsburgh,  in 
which  he  was  a  large  stockholder ;  and  where,  from  his 
great  experience,  perfect  independence,  judgment  and  in- 
tegrity, he  had  some  influence,  which  he  used  with  dis- 
crimination and  liberal  spirit.  Latterly  he  spent,  also, 
a  portion  of  his  time  in  the  discharge  of  some  private 
trusts  which  devolved  on  him  by  the  death  of  personal 
friends ;  and  in  improving  his  estate  at  the  mouth  of 
Deer  Creek.  In  the  summer  of  1822,  whilst  on  a  visit 
to  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  in  company  with  his  only  daugh- 
ter, he  was  taken  ill,  and  with  difficulty  reached  home, 
where  he  died,  on  the  21st  of  July,  1822,  in  the  sixty-first 
year  of  his  age. 


Last  winter,  his  Diary,  or  "Military  Journal,"  was 
shown  for  the  first  time,  to  a  few  friends  in  Philadelphia, 
at  whose  instance  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania 
resolved  to  publish  it.  For  convenience  in  correcting 

o 

the  proofs,  it  was  agreed  to  stereotype  it  in  Pittsburgh. 
There  would  have  been,  however,  nothing  inappropriate 
in  its  first  seeing  the  light  in  the  city  of  the  Revolution, 
where  his  services  began,  and  where  they  ended. 


MEMOIR.  31 

In  prefacing  the  publication  of  the  Journal  with  an 
imperfect  Memoir  of  his  life,  it  may  be  said  for  apology, 
in  the  words  of  Tully : 

Haec  scrips!  non  otii  abundant!  ft,  sed  amoris  erga  te. 

Appended  are  several  letters  of  General  Harmar,  now 
for  the  first  time  published.  Many  of  them  illustrate 
the  Diary.  The  temptation  could  not  be  resisted  of  in- 
cluding some  for  their  own  attraction  and  public  interest. 
They  sustain,  throughout,  the  General's  high  military 
reputation  and  character  for  vigilance  and  discipline. 
They  show  that,  with  similar  views  to  those  of  General 
Clark,  he  continually  pressed  upon  the  government  the 
policy  and  necessity  of  conquering  the  Indians  by  first 
taking  the  "western  posts." 

General  Harmar  was  tall  and  well  built,  with  a  manly 
port,  blue  eyes,  and  keen  martial  glance.  He  was  very 
bald,  wore  a  cocked  hat,  and  his  powdered  hair  in  a  cue. 
Such  was  his  appearance,  as  described  to  the  writer  by 
the  late  Harmar  Denny,  on  his  return  to  college  from  his 
first  visit  to  "Harmar's  Retreat,"  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
Schuylkill,  near  Gray's  Ferry.  As  he  approached  the 
house,  before  he  was  half  way  up  the  lawn,  the  General, 
who  was  standing  in  the  porch,  knew  him  by  the  likeness 
to  his  father,  and  hailed  the  young  collegian,  with  the 
grace,  the  dignity  and  scholarship  of  the  old  school — thus 
apostrophizing  the  virtues  of  his  ancient  friend: 

Salve   pietas !     Salve  prisca  fides ! 


) 


MILITARY   JOURNAL 


OP 


MAJOR  EBENEZER  DEMY. 


CARLISLE,  May  1st,  1781. — The  Pennsylvania  Line, 
after  the  revolt  and  discharge  of  the  men,  last  winter, 
were  reduced  to  six  regiments;  the  officers  ordered  to 
different  towns  within  the  State  to  recruit.  An  appoint- 
ment of  ensign  in  the  7th  had  been  obtained  for  me  in 
August  last;  the  7th  and  4th  were  incorporated,  and 
under  command  of  Lt.-Col.  Comt.  William  Butler,  ren- 
dezvoused at  this  place — companies  now  about  half  full. 
The  effective  men  were  formed  into  four  companies,  and 
marched  to  Little  York ;  I  was  arranged  to  one  of  the 
marching  companies,  Samuel  Montgomery,  captain,  and 
George  Bluer,  lieutenant.  All  the  recruits  fit  for  service, 
from  the  different  stations,  were  brought  to  York,  formed 
into  two  regiments  of  eight  companies  each,  destined  for 
the  State  of  Virginia.  A  few  days  spent  in  equipping, 
&c.,  and  for  the  trial  of  soldiers  charged  with  mutiny, 
General  Anthony  Wayne,  the  commanding  officer,  in- 
fluenced, no  doubt,  by  experience  of  the  revolt  last 
3  (33) 


34  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

winter,  expresses  a  determination  to  punish,  with  the 
utmost  rigor,  every  case  of  mutiny  or  disobedience.  A 
general  court  martial  continued  sitting  several  days; 
twenty  odd  prisoners  brought  before  them ;  seven  were 
sentenced  to  die.  The  regiments  paraded  in  the  evening 
earlier  than  usual ;  orders  passed  to  the  officers  along 
the  line  to  put  to  death  instantly  any  man  who  stirred 
from  his  rank.  In  front  of  the  parade  the  ground  rose 
and  descended  again,  and  at  the  distance  of  about  three 
hundred  yards  over  this  rising  ground,  the  prisoners 
were  escorted  by  a  captain's  guard ;  heard  the  fire  of  one 
platoon  and  immediately  a  smaller  one,  when  the  regi- 
ments wheeled  by  companies  and  marched  round  by  the 
place  of  execution.  This  was  an  awful  exhibition.  The 
seven  objects  were  seen  by  the  troops  just  as  they  had 
sunk  or  fell  under  the  fire.  The  sight  must  have  made 
an  impression  on  the  men ;  it  was  designed  with  that 
view. 

YORK,  May  15th.  —  Provision  for  transporting  bag- 
gage, &c.,  and  other*  necessary  preparation.  Com- 
menced our  march  for  Virginia ;  the  weather  pleasant 
and  roads  tolerably  good.  Passed  through  Frederick 
Town  (Maryland),  where  were  some  British  prisoners 
quartered ;  they  turned  out  to  see  us.  Next  day  reached 
the  Potomac ;  here  we  were  detained  for  want  of  craft — 
boats  few  and  in  bad  condition.  The  artillery  passed 
over  first  (a  battalion  of  artillery  accompanied  the 
brigade).  The  second  flat-boat  had  left  the  shore  about 
forty  yards,  when  the  whole  sunk.  Several  women  were 
on  board ;  but  as  hundreds  of  men  were  on  the  bank, 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  35 

relief  soon  reached  them;  none  were  lost — got  all  over. 
Proceeded  a  few  miles  and  encamped.  Struck  our  tents 
every  morning  before  day.  About  eight  or  nine  o'clock, 
as  we  found  water,  a  short  halt  was  made,  the  water-call 
beat ;  parties,  six  or  eight  from  each  company,  conducted 
by  a  non-commissioned  officer,  with  canteens,  fetched 
water.  Seldom  allowed  to  eat  until  twelve  o'clock,  when 
the  arms  were  stacked,  knapsacks  taken  off,  and  water 
sent  for  by  parties  as  before.  Officers  of  a  company  gen- 
erally messed  together,  sometimes  more;  one  of  their 
servants  carried  cooked  provisions  for  the  day ;  no  cook- 
ing until  night.  Not  acquainted  with  the  country  on 
our  route,  but  understood  that  we  were  marching  much 
about  —  very  circuitous  —  keeping  off  the  Blue  Ridge 
close  on  our  right.  This  to  avoid  the  enemy  and  secure 

«, 

our  junction  with  the  Marquis  Lafayette. 

June  18th.  —  Joined  the  troops  under  command  of 
Lafayette.  The  Marquis  had  marched  two  or  three 
days  to  meet  us.  His  men  look  as  if  they  were  fit  for 
business.  They  are  chiefly  all  light  infantry,  dressed  in 
frocks  and  over-alls  of  linen.  One  day  spent  in  washing 
and  refreshing — in  fixing  arms,  carriages,  &c.,  and  served 
out  ammunition.  Move  toward  Richmond,  where  Lord 
Cornwallis  with  the  British  army  lay.  Heard  that  his 
lordship  was  employed  burning  and  destroying  ware- 
houses of  tobacco,  all  the  public  store-houses,  &c.  Passed 
through  Richmond  toward  Williamsburg  after  the  ene- 
my— joined  by  Baron  Steuben  with  some  new  levies. 
Near  Bacon's  Bridge  the  British  turned  upon  us ;  our 
advance  pressed  them  too  close.  The  army  was  formed 


36  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

for  a  fight  — they  did  not  come  on.  General  Wayne 
very  anxious  to  do  something.  Colonel  Simcoe,  who 
commands  the  British  legion  (horse  and  mounted  in- 
fantry), is  constantly  committing  some  depredation 
abroad,  and  foraging  for  their  army.  Wayne  hears  of 
him  —  our  brigade  leave  their  tents  and  baggage,  march 
at  dark,  with  piece  of  white  paper  in  each  man's  hat  — 
flints  taken  out.  At  day-light  reach  place  called  the 
Bowling  Green,  where  Simcoe  had  been  the  evening  be- 
fore. This  was  a  severe  march  for  me  —  found  myself 
asleep  more  than  once  on  the  route.  Returned  and  met 
the  baggage.  A  detachment  from  the  brigade  put  under 
command  of  Colonel  Richard  Butler.  After  a  variety 
of  marching  and  counter-marching,  Butler  at  length  in- 
tercepts Simcoe ;  a  smart  skirmish  takes  place ;  Wayne 
supports  Butler,  and  Simcoe  retreats.  Here  for  the  first 
time  saw  wounded  men ;  feelings  not  very  agreeable ; 
endeavor  to  conquer  this  disposition  or  weakness ;  the 
sight  sickened  me.  This  little  engagement  within  six 
miles  of  Williamsburg,  where  the  enemy  were  encamped. 
Pennsylvania  troops  retreat  —  advance  again.  See  the 
Marquis'  light  troops  but  seldom — know  they  are  not  far 
off.  Kept  constantly  on  the  move.  Hear  that  the  enemy 
have  decamped  and  preparing  to  cross  James  river  at 
Jamestown.  Our  brigade  move  down  ;  lay  on  arms  all 
night  about  nine  miles  from  the  enemy.  At  day-light 
move  on ;  middle  of  the  afternoon  of  the  6th  of  July 
firing  ahead.  Our  advance  drove  in  the  enemy's  pickets, 
marching  at  this  time  by  companies,  in  open  order.  My 
captain  (Montgomery)  fell  behind  his  company  where 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  37 

my  place  was,  talked  with  me ;  gives  me  a  lesson  useful 
to  me.  When  perhaps  within  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  of  the  enemy,  we  closed  column  and  displayed ; 
advanced  in  battalion  until  the  firing  commenced,  and 
ran  along  the  whole  line.  A  regiment  or  more  of  the 
light  infantry  and  three  pieces  of  artillery  Were  in  the 
line.  Saw  the  British  light  infantry,  distinctly,  advancing 
at  arm's-length  distance,  and  their  second  line  in  close 
order,  with  shouldered  musket,  just  in  front  of  their 
camp  —  their  infantry  only  engaged.  The  main  body 
were  discovered  filing  off  to  the  right  and  left,  when  or- 
ders were  given  us  to  retreat.  My  captain,  Montgomery, 
received  a  shot  in  his  foot  and  had  hopped  back  in  the 
rear ;  Lieutenant  Bluer  being  absent,  the  charge  of  the 
company  devolved  on  me ;  young  and  inexperienced,  ex- 
hausted with  hunger  and  fatigue,  had  like  to  have  dis- 
graced myself — had  eat  nothing  all  day  but  a  few  black- 
berries —  was  faint,  and  with  difficulty  kept  my  place ; 
once  or  twice  was  about  to  throw  away  my  arms  (a  very 
heavy  espontoon).  The  company  were  almost  all  old 
soldiers.  Kept  compact  and  close  to  our  leading  com- 
pany, and  continued  running  until  out  of  reach  of  the 
fire.  The  enemy  advanced  no  farther  than  to  the  ground 
we  left.  We  could  not  have  been  engaged  longer  than 
about  three  or  four  minutes,  but  at  the  distance  of  sixty 
yards  only.  Our  loss  is  said  to  be  upward  of  one  hun- 
dred killed  and  wounded ;  among  the  latter  twelve  offi- 
cers, one  of  whom,  Lieutenant  Herbert,  taken  prisoner; 
a  few  of  the  wounded  not  able  to  get  off,  were  also  taken. 
The  artillery  horses  all  killed;  two  pieces  were  lost. 


38  MILITAEY    JOUKNAL    OF 

Retreated  two  miles  to  very  commanding  ground,  where 
we  met  the  Marquis  with  our  main  body ;  halted  and 
had  some  Indian  meal  served  out,  the  wounded  dressed, 
&c.,  and  before  day  changed  our  ground  and  encamped 
about  five  miles  from  the  field. 

July  7th.  —  An  officer,  surgeon,  and  a  few  men,  sent 
with  flag  to  bury  the  dead,  &c.  This  was  done  in  com- 
pany with  an  equal  number  of  the  enemy.  Our  wound- 
ed who  were  prisoners,  had  been  properly  treated.  The 
British  moved  from  Jamestown.  About  a  fortnight  after 
the  action,  visited  the  field ;  could  trace  plainly  the  ground 
occupied  by  both,  from  the  tops  of  the  cartridges  which 
lay  in  a  line;  the  distance  between  about  sixty  paces. 
The  army  marched  and  crossed  James  river  at  West- 
over,  the  seat  of  Colonel  Bird,  said  to  have  been  once 
the  most  wealthy  planter  in  the  State  ;  the  improvements 
superb,  saw  nothing  like  them  before.  Kept  at  a  respect- 
ful distance  from  the  enemy  ;  rather  between  them  and 
the  route  to  North  Carolina.  Some  idea  of  their  design 
to  return  to  the  southward.  Report  going  of  a  French 
fleet  below.  This  news  confirmed — great  joy — army  on 
the  alert. 

Sept.  1st.  —  Army  encamped  on  the  bank  of  James 
river  —  part  of  French  fleet,  with  troops  on  board,  in 
view.  Recrossed  James  river  and  encamped  at  Wil- 
liamsburg.  Army  in  high  spirits — reinforcements  coin- 
ing on. 

I±fh. — General  Washington  arrived ;  our  brigade  was 
paraded  to  receive  him  ;  he  rode  along  the  line  — quar- 
ters in  Williamsburg. 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  39 

1.5th. — Officers  all  pay  their  respects  to  the  Command- 
er-in-chief; go  in  a  body  ;  those  who  are  not  personally 
known,  their  names  given  by  General  Hand  and  General 
Wayne.  He  stands  in  the  door,  takes  every  man  by  the 
hand — the  officers  all  pass  in,  receiving  his  salute  and 
shake.  This  the  first  time  I  had  seen  the  General.  We 
have  an  elegant  encampment  close  to  town,  behind  Wil- 
liam and  Mary  College.  This  building  occupied  as  an 
hospital.  Williamsburg  a  very  handsome  place,  not  so 
populous  as  Richmond,  but  situate  on  evenly,  pretty 
ground ;  streets  and  lots  spacious — does  not  appear  to  be 
a  place  of  much  business,  rather  the  residence  of  gentle- 
men of  fortune ;  formerly  it  was  the  seat  of  government 
and  Dunmore's  late  residence.  A  neat  public  building, 
called  the  capitol,  fronts  the  principal  street ;  upon  the 
first  floor  is  a  handsome  marble  statue  of  William  Pitt. 

The  presence  of  so  many  general  officers,  and  the  ar- 
rival of  new  corps,  seem  to  give  additional  life  to  every- 
thing ;  discipline  the  order  of  the  day.  In  all  directions 
troops  seen  exercising  and  manoeuvring.  Baron  Steu- 
ben,  our  great  military  oracle.  The  guards  attend  the 
grand  parade  at  an  early  hour,  where  the  Baron  is  al- 
ways found  waiting  with  one  or  two  aids  on  horseback. 
These  men  are  exercised  and  put  through  various  evolu- 
tions and  military  experiments  for  two  hours  —  many 
officers  and  spectators  present;  excellent  school,  this. 
At  length  the  duty  of  the  parade  comes  on.  The  guards 
are  told  off;  officers  take  their  posts,  wheel  by  platoons 
to  the  right ;  fine  corps  of  music  detailed  for  this  duty, 
which  strikes  up ;  the  whole  march  off,  saluting  the 


40  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

Baron  and  field  officer  of  the  day,  as  they  pass.  Penn- 
sylvania brigade  almost  all  old  soldiers,  and  well  dis- 
ciplined when  compared  with  those  of  Maryland  and 
Virginia.  But  the  troops  from  the  eastward  far  superior 
to  either. 

2oth. — Joined  by  the  last  of  the  troops  from  the  east- 
ward. French  encamped  a  few  miles  on  the  right ;  busy 
in  getting  cannon  and  military  stores  from  on  board  the 
vessels. 

28th.  —  The  whole  army  moved  in  three  divisions 
toward  the  enemy,  who  were  strongly  posted  at  York, 
about  twelve  miles  distant.  Their  pickets  and  light 
troops  retire.  We  encamped  about  three  miles  off — 
change  ground  and  take  a  position  within  one  mile  of 
York ;  rising  ground  (covered  with  tall  handsome  pines) 
called  Pigeon  Hill,  separates  us  from  a  view  of  the  town. 
Enemy  keep  possession  of  Pigeon  Hill.  York  on  a  high, 
sandy  plain,  on  a  deep  navigable  river  of  same  name. 
Americans  on  the  right ;  French  on  the  left,  extending 
on  both  sides  of  the  river;  preparations  for  a  siege. 
One-third  of  the  army  on  fatigue  every  day,  engaged  in 
various  duties,  making  gabions,  fascines,  saucissons,  &c., 
and  great  exertions  and  labor  in  getting  on  the  heavy 
artillery.  Strong  covering  parties  (whole  regiments) 
moved  from  camp  as  soon  as  dark,  and  lay  all  night 
upon  their  arms  between  us  and  the  enemy.  Our  regi- 
ment, when  on  this  duty,  were  under  cover,  and  secured 
from  the  shot  by  Pigeon  Hill ;  now  and  then  a  heavy 
shot  from  the  enemy's  works  reached  our  camp.  Our 
patrols,  and  those  of  the  British,  met  occasionally  in  the 


MAJOR    EBENEZEB    DENXY.  41 

dark,  sometimes  a  few  shot  were  exchanged — would  gen- 
erally retire.  Colonel  Schamel,  adjutant-general  to  the 
army,  with  two  or  three  attendants,  on  a  party  of  obser- 
vation, ventured  rather  close  ;  they  were  seen  and  inter- 
cepted by  a  few  smart  horsemen  from  the  British.  Scha- 
mel forced  his  way  through,  and  got  back  to  camp,  but 
received  a  wound,  of  which  he  died  next  day.  His  death 
was  lamented,  and  noticed  by  the  Commander-in-chief 
in  his  orders.  Possession  taken  of  Pigeon  Hill,  and 
temporary  work  erected.  Generals  and  engineers,  in 
viewing  and  surveying  the  ground,  are  always  fired  upon 
and  sometimes  pursued.  Escorts  and  covering  parties 
stationed  at  convenient  distances  under  cover  of  wood, 
rising  ground,  &c.,  afford  support.  This  business  re- 
minds me  of  a  play  among  the  boys,  called  Prison-base. 
At  length,  everything  in  readiness,  a  division  of  the 
army  broke  ground  on  the  night  of  the  6th  of  October, 
and  opened  the  first  parallel  about  six  hundred  yards 
from  the  works  of  the  enemy.  Every  exertion  to  annoy 
our  men,  who  were  necessarily  obliged  to  be  exposed 
about  the  works ;  however,  the  business  went  on,  and  on 
the  9th  our  cannon  and  mortars  began  to  play.  The 
scene  viewed  from  the  camp  now  was  grand,  particularly 
after  dark  —  a  number  of  shells  from  the  works  of  both 
parties  passing  high  in  the  air,  and  descending  in  a  curve, 
each  with  a  long  train  of  fire,  exhibited  a  brilliant  spec- 
tacle. Troops  in  three  divisions  manned  the  lines  alter- 
nately. We  were  two  nights  in  camp  and  one  in  the 
lines ;  relieved  about  ten  o'clock.  Passed  and  repassed  by 
a  covert  way  leading  to  the  parallel. 


42  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

Oct.  llth. —  Second  parallel  thrown  up  within  three 
hundred  yards  of  the  main  works  of  the  enemy ;  new 
batteries  erected,  and  additional  number  of  cannon 
brought  forward — some  twenty-four  pounders  and  heavy 
mortars  and  howitzers.  A  tremendous  fire  now  opened 
from  all  the  new  works,  French  and  American.  The 
heavy  cannon  directed  against  the  embrasures  and  guns 
of  the  enemy.  Their  pieces  were  soon  silenced,  broke 
and  dismantled.  Shells  from  behind  their  works  still 
kept  up.  Two  redoubts  advanced  of  their  lines,  and 
within  rifle  shot  of  our  second  parallel,  much  in  the 
way.  These  forts  or  redoubts  were  well  secured  by  a 
ditch  and  picket,  sufficiently  high  parapet,  and  within 
were  divisions  made  by  rows  of  casks  ranged  upon  end 
and  filled  with  earth  and  sand.  On  tops  of  parapet  were 
ranged  bags  filled  with  sand  —  a  deep  narrow  ditch 
communicating  with  their  main  lines.  On  the  night  of 
the  14th,  shortly  after  dark,  these  redoubts  were  taken 
by  storm ;  the  one  on  our  right,  by  the  Marquis,  with 
part  of  his  light  infantry  —  the  other,  more  to  our  left, 
but  partly  opposite  the  centre  of  the  British  lines,  by  the 
French.  Our  batteries  had  kept  a  constant  fire  upon  the 
redoubts  through  the  day.  Belonged  this  evening  to  a 
command  detailed  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the 
Marquis.  The  night  was  dark  and  favorable.  Our  bat- 
teries had  ceased  —  there  appeared  to  be  a  dead  calm; 
we  followed  the  infantry  and  halted  about  half  way — 
kept  a  few  minutes  in  suspense,  when  we  were  ordered 
to  advance.  The  business  was  over,  not  a  gun  was  fired 
by  the  assailants;  the  bayonet  only  was  used;  ten  or 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  43 

twelve  of  the  infantry  were  killed.  French  had  to  con- 
tend with  a  post  of  more  force — their  loss  was  consider- 
able. Colonel  Hamilton  led  the  Marquis'  advance ;  the 
British  sentries  hailed  them  —  no  answer  made.  They 
also  hailed  the  French,  "Who  comes  there?"  were  an- 
swered, "French  grenadiers."  Colonel  Walter  Stewart 
commanded  the  regiment  of  reserve  which  accompanied 
the  Marquis ;  they  were  immediately  employed  in  con- 
necting, by  a  ditch  and  parapet,  the  two  redoubts,  and 
completing  and  connecting  the  same  with  our  second 
parallel.  The  British  were  soon  alarmed;  some  from 
each  of  the  redoubts  made  their  escape.  The  whole  ene- 
my were  under  arms — much  firing  round  all  their  lines, 
but  particularly  toward  our  regiment,  where  the  men 
were  at  work :  the  shot  passed  over.  In  about  three 
quarters  of  an  hour  we  were  under  cover.  Easy  digging; 
light  sandy  ground. 

15th. — Heavy  fire  from  our  batteries  all  day.  A  shell 
from  one  of  the  French  mortars  set  fire  to  a  British 
frigate ;  she  burnt  to  the  water's  edge,  and  blew  up  — 
made  the  earth  shake.  Shot  and  shell  raked  the  town 
in  every  direction.  Bomb-proofs  the  only  place  of  safety. 

16th. — Just  before  day  the  enemy  made  a  sortie,  spiked 
the  guns  in  two  batteries  and  retired.  Our  troops  in  the 
parallel  scarcely  knew  of  their  approach  until  they  were 
off ;  the  thing  was  done  silently  and  in  an  instant.  The 
batteries  stood  in  advance  of  the  lines,  and  none  within 
but  artillery.  This  day,  the  16th,  our  division  manned 
the  lines — firing  continued  without  intermission.  Pretty 
strong  detachments  posted  in  each  battery  over  night. 


44  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 


.  _  In  the  morning,  before  relief  carne,  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  a  drummer  mount  the  enemy's  para- 
pet, and  beat  a  parley,  and  immediately  an  officer,  hold- 
ing up  a  white  handkerchief,  made  his  appearance  out- 
side their  works  ;  the  drummer  accompanied  him,  beating. 
Our  batteries  ceased.  An  officer  from  our  lines  ran  and 
met  the  other,  and  tied  the  handkerchief  over  his  eyes. 
The  drummer  sent  back,  and  the  British  officer  conduct- 
ed to  a  house  in  rear  of  our  lines.  Firing  ceased  totally. 

IStk.  —  Several  flags  pass  and  repass  now  even  without 
the  drum.  Had  we  not  seen  the  drummer  in  his  red 
coat  when  he  first  mounted,  he  might  have  beat  away 
till  doomsday.  The  constant  firing  was  too  much  for  the 
sound  of  a  single  drum  ;  but  when  the  firing  ceased,  I 
thought  I  never  heard  a  drum  equal  to  it  —  the  most  de- 
lightful music  to  us  all. 

19^.  —  Our  division  man  the  lines  again.  All  is  quiet. 
Articles  of  capitulation  signed  ;  detachments  of  French 
and  Americans  take  possession  of  British  forts.  Major 
Hamilton  commanded  a  battalion  which  took  possession 
of  a  fort  immediately  opposite  our  right  and  on  the  bank 
of  York  river.  I  carried  the  standard  of  our  regiment 
on  this  occasion.  On  entering  the  fort,  Baron  Steuben, 
who  accompanied  us,  took  the  standard  from  me  and 
planted  it  himself.  The  British  army  parade  and  march 
out  with  their  colors  furled  ;  drums  beat  as  if  they  did 
not  care  how.  Grounded  their  arms  and  returned  to 
town.  Much  confusion  and  riot  among  the  British 
through  the  day;  many  of  the  soldiers  were  intoxicated; 
several  attempts  in  course  of  the  night  to  break  open 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  45 

stores ;  an  American  sentinel  killed  by  a  British  soldier 
with  a  bayonet ;  our  patrols  kept  busy.  Glad  to  be  re- 
lieved from  this  disagreeable  station.  Negroes  lie  about, 
sick  and  dying,  in  every  stage  of  the  small  pox.  Never 
was  in  so  filthy  a  place  —  some  handsome  houses,  but 
prodigiously  shattered.  Vast  heaps  of  shot  and  shells 
lying  about  in  every  quarter,  which  came  from  our  works. 
The  shells  did  not  burst,  as  was  expected.  Returns  of 
British  soldiers,  prisoners  six  thousand,  and  seamen 
about  one  thousand.  Lord  Cornwallis  excused  himself 
from  marching  out  with  the  troops ;  they  were  conducted 
by  General  O'Hara.  Our  loss  said  to  be  about  three 
hundred ;  that  of  the  enemy  said  not  more  than  five 
hundred  and  fifty.  -  Fine  supply  of  stores  and  merchan- 
dise had;  articles  suitable  for  clothing  were  taken  for  the 
use  of  the  army.  A  portion  furnished  each  officer  to  the 
amount  of  sixty  dollars. 

20th. — Joined  by  a  new  raised  regiment  from  Pennsyl- 
vania. Officers  hastened  to  partake  of  the  siege,  but 
were  too  late.  British  troops  march  into  the  interior — 
to  Winchester  and  other  places.  Visit  Gloucester,  small 
village  opposite  York ;  nothing  seen  there.  Some  of  our 
officers  return  to  Pennsylvania,  others  take  their  place. 
Visit  Williamsburg  in  company  with  young  gentlemen 
of  the  country,  on  horseback ;  spend  a  few  days  very 
agreeably.  Militia  employed  leveling  the  lines.  Our 
brigade  prepare  for  a  long  march. 

Nov.  1st. — Three  regiments  of  Pennsylvania,  a  detach- 
ment of  artillery,  and  Maryland  troops,  commence  their 
march  for  South  Carolina  —  General  St.  Clair,  the  com- 


46  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

manding  officer.  Easy,  regular  marching ;  roads  gene- 
rally good,  through  sandy  country.  Pass  through  Rich- 
mond and  Guilford,  in  North  Carolina,  where  General 
Green  and  the  British  had  a  hard  fight ;  also  Camden, 
where  Gates  was  defeated.  Halted  at  least  one  day  in 
the  week  for  purpose  of  washing  and  refreshing. 

Jan.  4th,  1782.  —  Joined  the  troops  under  General 
Green  at  Round  0,  in  the  State  of  South  Carolina. 
Moved  to  Pond-Pond;  here  we  lay  some  time.  Rice 
farms  around  this  neighborhood  —  the  fields  almost 
all  under  water ;  immense  quantities  of  ducks ;  excel- 
lent sport  at  times.  Planters  return  to  their  homes  — 
live  in  style.  Army  change  their  ground;  march  to 
Ashley.  Was  on  picket  the  night  before  we  reached 
Ashley;  got  exceedingly  wet  —  it  rained  all  night. 
Marched  next  morning  in  wet  clothes  twelve  miles,  to 
Ashley,  exposed  to  very  hot  sun ;  laid  up  with  fever — 
carried  to  hospital ;  as  soon  as  able,  returned  to  camp. 
Hospital  very  disagreeable  place  —  all  sick,  and  some 
continually  dying.  Attendance  good ;  surgeons  very 
kind ;  furnished  with  some  stores,  sugar,  tea  and  molas- 
ses. Continued  weak  and  unfit  for  duty  for  some  wreeks. 
Ashley  a  very  good  position — ground  high  and  dry ;  but 
it  is  now  midsummer  and  sickly  season.  Men  die  very 
fast;  lost  several  valuable  officers.  Ashley  river  low; 
full  of  alligators. 

August.  —  Camp  continued  on  bank  of  Ashley  river, 
eighteen  or  twenty  miles   above   Charleston.      Enemy 
confine  themselves  to  city.     Their  light  troops  and  horse - 
advanced  five  miles,  at  place  called   Quarter   House. 


MAJOR    EBENEZEB.    DENNY.  47 

Armies  both  seem  disposed  to  be  quiet ;  ours  in  no  con- 
dition for  doing  much.  Some  talk  of  peace,  and  of  the 
enemy  evacuating  Charleston.  Detailed  for  command. 
Joined  a  captain  of  the  Maryland  line ;  marched  with 
two  sergeants,  two  corporals,  and  thirty  men,  for  George- 
town, about  sixty  miles  distant,  coast-wise.  Escorted  a 
brigade  of  wagons  loaded  with  rum  for  the  army. 
Country  appears  deserted ;  the  few  people  we  saw  looked 
bad  enough,  poor  and  dejected ;  they  fled  from  us,  and 
in  some  instances  hid  themselves.  Farms  on  this  route 
have  been  neglected;  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  the 
British.  Negroes  and  stock  either  removed  or  taken. 
Fell  in  with  an  alligator,  twelve  .feet  in  length,  in  the 
middle  of  the  road ;  supposed  that  his  pond  had  dried 
up,  and  that  he  was  in  search  of  another ;  soldier  shot 
him. 

September. — Our  camp  very  thin  ;  not  more  than  three 
relieves  of  officers  and  men  for  the  ordinary  duties. 
Hospitals  crowded,  and  great  many  sick  in  camp ;  deaths 
so  frequent,  the  funeral  ceremony  dispensed  with.  Pro- 
visions scarce  and  very  indifferent;  the  beef  brought 
from  the  back  counties  of  North  Carolina,  by  the  time 
they  reach  the  camp,  poor  indeed,  and  must  be  unwhole- 
some. Commissary's  yard  and  slaughter  place  common- 
ly short  distance  from  camp.  Soldier  going  there  in 
morning  about  killing  time,  met  his  comrade  returning 
in ;  asked  how  was  the  beef  this  morning  ?  other  replied, 
that  it  took  two  men  to  hold  up  the  creature  until  the 
butcher  knocked  it  down.  Says  the  other,  And  why 


48  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

didn't  he  knock  it  down  as  it  lay  ?  Flour  a  rare  article. 
Troops  have  lived  chiefly  upon  rice,  now  and  then  a 
small  allowance  of  Indian  meal  served  out  —  rice  very 
good  for  the  sick,  but  rather  washy  for  duty  men.  Gov- 
ernor Hamilton,  of  this  State,  himself  and  family, 
quarter  at  a  pleasant  seat,  two  miles  in  rear  of  camp  — 
General  Green  not  quite  so  far ;  each  has  a  subaltern's 
guard.  Very  fond  of  getting  one  or  other  of  these 
guards  better  fare  than  we  have  in  camp.  Officer  con- 
sidered and  treated  as  one  of  the  family. 

October. — Camp  at  Ashley  Hill.  Ranks  thinned  very 
much ;  deaths  not  so  frequent.  Our  situation  as  to 
ground,  a  handsome  one,  and,  as  far  as  I  can  judge,  eli- 
gible, but  assuredly  the  climate  is  severe  upon  northern 
constitutions.  Gentlemen  who  can  afford  it,  reside  dur- 
ing summer  in  the  city  and  spend  the  winter  in  the 
country.  An  unpleasant  week's  command.  At  a  bridge 
over  Ashley,  six  or  seven  miles  from  camp,  where  the 
great  road  from  Charleston  to  the  upper  country  crosses, 
a  subaltern  and  thirty  men  have  been  stationed.  It  be- 
came my  turn.  Orders  were  to  suffer  no  people  to  pass 
or  repass  without  proper  permit.  It  was  now  pretty 
well  known  that  the  enemy  would  soon  evacuate  the  city. 
Many  poor  devils  had  taken  protection  and  followed  the 
British  in ;  provisions  scarce  in  town,  and  those  people 
sick  of  their  situation — they  were  anxious  to  get  back  to 
their  old  places  of  abode  in  the  country.  Some  very 
miserable  objects  came  out — whole  families,  battered  and 
starving.  Was  sure,  upon  my  representation,  leave 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  49 

would  be  given  to  let  them  pass.  Stated  the  business 
in  writing,  and  dispatched  a  sergeant.  No — ordered  not 
to  let  them  pass ;  thought  this  an  unnecessary  cruelty. 

Dec.  ~L3th.  —  Had  been  expecting,  every  day  for  a 
month  past,  to  hear  of  the  intended  evacuation  of 
Charleston.  The  Governor's  guard  was  an  object  at  this 
time,  as  the  officer  commanding  would,  of  course,  accom- 
pany or  escort  him  into  the  city.  I  was  so  fortunate  as 
to  have  the  guard  this  day,  when  advice  was  received 
that  the  British  would  embark  next  morning.  A  few 
hours  for  the  Governor  to  get  ready,  we  set  out  in  the 
evening  with  one  tumbrel,  containing  books,  papers,  &c., 
and  reached  the  city  early  next  day.  Saw  the  last  of  the 
enemy  embark  in  their  boats  and  put  oif  to  the  shipping. 
An  immense  fleet  lay  in  sight  all  day ;  found  the  city 
very  quiet — houses  all  shut  up.  A  detachment  from  the 
army  had  marched  the  day  before  to  take  possession  as 
soon  as  the  English  would  be  oif.  Guards  stationed  at 
proper  places,  and  small  parties,  conducted  by  an  officer, 
patrolled  the  streets.  Charleston  a  handsome  town,  sit- 
uate on  neck  of  land  between  the  confluence  of  Ashley 
and  Cooper  rivers ;  Cooper  river,  however,  appears  to  be 
the  only  harbor.  Town  here  fronts  the  east ;  business 
all  done  on  this  side.  Second  and  third  day  people  be- 
gan to  open  their  houses  and  show  themselves,  and  some 
shops  opened.  Stayed  a  week,  and  returned  to  our  old 
encampment. 

30th. —  Broke  up  our  camp.     Pennsylvanians   have 
been  reduced,  by  deaths,  desertions,  &c.,  and  were  now 
incorporated  into  one  regiment  of  six  hundred  men. 
4 


50  MILITARY    JOURNAL     OF 

Supernumerary  officers  went  home  to  their  own  State. 
Lieut.-Col.  Commt.  Josiah  Harmar,  who  had  acted  as 
Adjutant-general  since  our  junction  with  General  Green, 
took  command  of  this  regiment. 

Jan.  1st,  1783.  —  Arrived  on  James  Island,  and  en- 
camped contiguous  to  a  very  beautiful  forest  of  pine. 
Had  with  us  one  complete  regiment  of  the  Maryland 
line,  a  battalion  belonging  to  South  Carolina,  (which  was 
all  the  troops  that  State  had),  and  six  companies  of  ar- 
tillery, two  of  whom  were  from  Pennsylvania,  the  rest 
from  Virginia.  Colonel  Hamilton  commandant  of  artil- 
lery. The  woodland  an  elegant  situation  for  hunting. 
Each  company  had  its  ground  marked  out,  when  the 
whole  went  to  work,  and  in  course  of  a  week  were  com- 
pletely housed.  Some  of  the  companies  had  more  timber 
upon  the  ground  they  occupied  than  was  necessary  for 
their  huts.  The  infantry  were  in  a  line ;  artillery  in  rear 
of  right  wing  formed  a  park.  The  order  and  formation 
such  as  our  encampment. 

January.  —  Cantonment  on  James  Island.  Weather 
moderate.  Troops  employed  finishing  huts  and  opening 
the  streets ;  not  a  stump  left.  Top  of  timber  and  brush 
carried  to  certain  distance,  and  built  up  in  a  circular  line 
round  the  cantonment.  This  brush  barrier,  or  fence, 
could  not  be  passed  without  much  trouble ;  it  served  in- 
stead of  sentinels  round  the  camp.  Openings  left  at 
particular  places,  where  the  guards  or  sentinels  were  sta- 
tioned. Still  kept  a  front  and  rear  camp  guard,  but  the 
usual  number  lessened. 

February. — Very  pleasant  weather  for  working  parties; 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  51 

some  appearance  of  spring.  Officers  and  men  all  in 
comfortable  quarters.  Provisions  good ;  very  little  occa- 
sion for  fire  through  the  winter. 

March  and  April.  —  Delightful  season.  James  Island 
a  little  paradise  —  the  country  flat,  but  sandy  and  dry. 
Troops  healthy.  Our  regiment  receive  new  clothing; 
officers  also  are  furnished  in  Charleston  with  a  small 
supply.  Make  a  very  fine  appearance.  Exercised  often ; 
perform  the  parade  duties  in  absence  of  the  adjutant  — 
very  fond  of  this.  Officers  go  frequently  to  the  city  — 
police  boat  for  that  purpose ;  row  there  in  half  an  hour. 
A  short  walk  from  the  huts,  and  we  have  a  view  of 
Charleston,  of  Hadrel's  Point,  which  is  the  main  land 
east,  and  of  Sullivan's  Island,  east  across  the  channel 
from  James  Island.  Visit  Fort  Sullivan,  celebrated  for 
the  defense  made  against  Sir  Peter  Parker.  Curtains 
and  embrasures  faced  with  the  cabbage  tree  —  soft 
spongy  wood,  admirably  calculated  for  this  use.  Saw 
where  a  great  many  shot  from  the  British  ships  had  en- 
tered the  logs,  but  no  damage  done ;  holes  almost  closed 
up.  From  Sullivan's  Island  to  Hadrel's  Point  was  for- 
merly a  bridge — it  was  burnt  by  the  British.  Fort  Sul- 
livan still  in  very  good  condition ;  but  Fort  Johnson, 
upon  James  Island,  immediately  opposite  (across  the 
channel),  nearly  demolished.  Plenty  of  fish  and  oysters 
all  round  us,  and  what  the  folks  here  call  stone  crabs, 
very  fine;  they  are  like  the  common  crab,  but  much 
larger,  and  soft  shells.  Officers  in  rotation  dine  with 
General  Green,  at  his  house  in  the  city.  Colonel  Stew- 
art, of  the  Maryland  regiment,  on  an  excursion  in  the 


52  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

country,  was  cast  from  his  horse  into  the  ditch  and  broke 
his  neck.  Officers  of  the  army  (those  on  duty  excepted) 
attended  his  funeral  in  Charleston.  Preliminaries  of  a 
peace  arrive.  Great  rejoicing — grand  review — dinner 
— fire  works,  and  dance  at  the  cantonment.  Ladies  and 
gentlemen  come  over  on  this  occasion  from  Charleston. 

June  1st. — Preparations  making  to  send  home,  by  sea, 
the  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  troops ;  transports  want- 
ing. A  New  England  brig  arrives,  and  contracts  to 
carry  two  companies.  Bond's  and  Irwin's  companies  or- 
dered to  embark.  I  had  belonged  to  the  latter  since  the 
action  of  Jamestown,  \vhen  Captain  Montgomery,  who 
was  wounded,  returned  to  Pennsylvania.  Had  a  very 
pleasant  passage  of  seven  days  to  Philadelphia,  where 
we  landed  on  the  15th.  Mrs.  Green,  wife  of  the  General, 
came  passenger  with  us.  Quartered  in  the  Philadelphia 
barracks,  along  with  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  new 
raised  men.  Our  companies  of  the  southward  appear  to 
great  advantage.  The  near  approach  of  the  disband- 
ment  of  the  army,  and  a  tardiness  in  Congress  to  make 
provision  for  a  settlement,  produced  dissatisfaction  among 
the  officers  in  Pennsylvania,  as  well  as  among  those  at 
head- quarters.  To  us  who  were  strangers  in  our  own 
State,  this  business  was  unknown.  About  eighty  men 
from  the  recruiting  rendezvous  at  Lancaster,  turned  out 
and  marched  to  Philadelphia  without  an  officer;  were 
joined  by  the  recruits  in  the  barracks ;  marched  to  the 
State  House  where  Congress  were,  frightened  that  body, 
and  broke  up  their  sitting.  This  proceeding  took  place 
about  noon,  when  the  officers  belonging  to  the  two  com- 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  53 

parries  from  Charleston  were  at  Governor  Dickinson's  on 
an  invitation  to  dinner.  The  alarm  reached  us — hasten- 
ed to  the  barracks  —  long  roll  beat ;  our  two  companies 
fell  in  to  a  man ;  marched  to  the  Governor's  house  in 
Market  street ;  several  troops  of  militia  horse  paraded  ; 
great  uproar  in  the  city.  Although  the  insurgents  had 
posted  sentinels  round  the  State  House,  the  members  of 
Congress  made  out  to  escape,  after  passing  a  resolution  to 
assemble  at  Trenton.  The  officers  who  were  concerned 
in  this  business,  and  who  had  privately  directed  the 
movements,  now  thought  of  themselves ;  they  fled  and 
escaped  in  a  light  boat  down  the  river ;  men  soon  dis- 
persed. A  few  days  brought  General  Howe  from  head- 
quarters with  a  brigade  of  light  troops,  for  purpose  of 
suppressing  the  insurrection.  Most  of  the  officers  who 
were  here  previous  to  our  arrival  were  arrested,  and  a  few 
taken  in  close  custody.  General  court  martial  ordered  for 
their  trial.  Government  were  desirous  of  getting  rid  of 
the  army  in  as  quiet  a  manner  as  possible ;  at  this  par- 
ticular period  it  was  thought  best  not  to  be  too  rigid. 
Howe  had  his  cue ;  officers  released.  Captain  Alexander 
Parker  (my  uncle) ,  on  furlough  from  Lancaster,  was  re- 
turning home ;  obtained  leave  of  absence,  and  accom- 
panied him  to  Carlisle.  Our  regiment  from  southward 
not  yet  arrived. 

Dec.  3d. — By  proclamation  of  Congress,  the  American 
army  was  disbanded ;  a  few  men,  under  the  command 
of  a  captain  at  Fort  Pitt,  excepted.  A  resolution  soon 
followed  for  raising  a  regiment  for  the  purpose  of  garri- 
soning the  western  posts — this  regiment  to  consist  of  ten 


54  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

companies,  portioned  as  follows :  Pennsylvania — 4  com- 
panies and  Lieut.-Col.  Commt.  Jersey  —  1  company. 
New  York — 3  companies  and  a  Major.  Connecticut — 2 
companies  and  a  Major. 

1784. — The  States  made  the  appointments  in  the  first 
instance,  which  were  confirmed  by  Congress.  The  offi- 
cers were  all  from  those  who  had  been  in  service.  Colo- 
nel Harmar  was  in  France;  had  been  sent  with  the 
ratification  of  the  treaty.  The  command  of  the  new 
regiment  was  reserved  for  him,  and  indeed  the  Pennsyl- 
vania appointments  not  made  until  his  return.  Governor 
Miiflin  at  this  time  was  President  of  Congress,  and  very 
popular  in  Pennsylvania,  and  Harmar's  great  friend ; 
but  the  Colonel's  character  as  a  military  man  stood  high ; 
the  regiment  he  brought  from  the  southward  eclipsed 
every  thing.  I  was  nominated  by  Harmar  one  of  his  en- 
signs ;  the  appointment  reached  me  at  Carlisle.  As  soon 
as  they  had  a  knowledge  of  my  acceptance,  recruiting 
instructions  were  sent  me.  Marched  about  a  dozen  men 
down  to  Philadelphia ;  joined  the  camp  on  west  side  of 
Schuylkill.  The  four  companies  nearly  full.  Some  time 
spent  in  equipping  and  exercising  the  recruits. 

September.  —  Marched  through  Lancaster  by  Carlisle, 
&c.,  to  Pittsburgh.  Waited  for  the  arrival  of  commis- 
sioners appointed  to  hold  a  treaty  with  the  Indians. 
Treaty  expected  to  be  holden  at  Cuvahoffa.  Commis- 

»/  o 

sioners  late  getting  out,  season  advanced,  plan  changed, 
and  Indians  invited  to  attend  at  Fort  M'lntosh,  about 
thirty  miles  below  Fort  Pitt,  on  bank  of  Ohio  ;  to  which 
place  we  repaired,  and  found  exceeding  good  quarters. 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  55 

January,  1785. — About  four  hundred  of  the  Senecas, 
Delawares  and  Wyandots  come  in.  After  considerable 
difficulty,  a  treaty  is  agreed  to,  but  with  much  reluctance 
on  the  part  of  the  savages.  Amongst  the  Indians  are  a 
number  of  women  and  children.  The  whole  a  very 
motley  crew — an  ugly  set  of  devils  all — very  few  hand- 
some men  or  women.  Colonel  Harmar  did  not  join  us 
until  we  reached  Fort  Pitt,  at  which  place  I  was  appoint- 
ed to  do  the  duty  of  adjutant;  this  had  always  been 
favorite  duty  of  mine. 

FOET  M'INTOSH,  1785. — Winter  passed  away — no  or- 
ders for  marching ;  did  expect,  as  soon  as  the  season 
would  permit,  to  march  for  Detroit.  April  and  May  de- 
lightful season — frequent  excursions  into  the  country — 
fishing  and  hunting.  Officers  visit  Fort  Pitt,  where  we 
left  a  lieutenant  and  thirty  men.  Fort  Pitt  and  Fort 
M'Intosh  both  handsome  places.  Fort  Pitt  erected  by 
the  British  long  before  the  late  war  —  an  elegant  work, 
regular  pentagon ;  vast  labor  and  money  expended  here. 
Ditch  and  parapet  with  pickets  and  fencing,  and  every 
thing  in  the  most  complete  order.  Very  considerable 
quantity  of  military  stores  at  this  place.  Indians  come 
in  to  trade,  will  get  drunk  —  a  white  man  killed  by  a 
drunken  Indian  at  Pittsburgh — people  rise  and  attempt 
to  put  the  Indian  to  death.  Express  sent  to  Colonel 
Harmar  at  M'Intosh.  I  was  ordered  to  Pitt  with  certain 
instructions  to  Lieutenant  Ashton,  who  commanded  there. 
The  Indian  guarded  to  county  jail.  Pittsburgh  in  West- 
moreland county.  Hannahstown,  about  thirty  miles  east, 
the  seat  of  justice.  Cornplanter,  chief  of  the  Senecas, 


56  MILITAEY    JOURNAL    OF 

arrived  at  Pitt.  He  had  signed  the  treaty  of  M'Intosh; 
was  dissatisfied  —  his  people  reflected  on  him ;  came  to 
revoke.  Colonel  Harmar  was  informed  of  this,  and  in- 
vited up  to  Pitt — I  accompanied  him.  Meeting  appoint- 
ed in  the  King's  Orchard.  Speeches  on  both  sides  taken 
down.  Cornplanter  dismissed  with  assurances,  &c.,  but 
no  revoking. 

Summer  nearly  gone.  Men  have  been  enlisted  but 
for  one  year ;  orders  to  re-enlist  for  three.  Of  the  four 
companies,  we  re-engaged  seventy  effective  men  —  rest 
all  discharged.  Officers  went  on  the  recruiting  service. 
Anxious  to  know  how  I  was  to  be  disposed  of.  Proper 
complement  of  officers  kept  for  the  new  company.  Did 
count  upon  returning  over  the  mountains,  but  would 
have  preferred  remaining  at  Pittsburgh.  Dislike  the 
recruiting  service.  The  new  company  ordered  to  pre- 
pare to  embark  for  the  Great  Miami,  where  another 
treaty  is  intended  to  be  held.  Generals  Butler  and  Par- 
sons, two  of  the  commissioners,  arrive.  The  party  all 
ready  to  descend  the  river,  when  the  Colonel  instructed 
me  to  prepare  and  accompany  them  ;  this  to  me  was  very 
unexpected.  The  company  has  its  complement  of  offi- 
cers ;  I  was  extra.  Must  move. 

29^. — I  agreed  with  Mr.  Duncan,  about  the  wintering 
of  my  mare;  he  promising  to  keep  her  safe  in  his 
meadow,  while  the  grass  continued,  and  charge  noth- 
ing— but  the  remainder  of  the  winter  she  should  be  well 
fed  and  kept  on  good  hay,  for  thirty  shillings  per  month. 
Having  arranged  affairs  as  well  asjbfte  shortness  of  my 
time  would  afford,  I  set  off  for  M'Intosh,  in  company 


MAJOR    EBENEZEK    DENNY.  57 

with  Mr.  O'Hara,  but  did  not  arrive  until  the  next  morn- 
ing ;  the  water  being  exceedingly  low,  and  Mr.  O'Hara 
so  unfortunate  as  to  run  aground  in  the  night.  At  ten 
o'clock  set  out  on  horseback  for  Fort  Pitt  to  make  some 
arrangements ;  stayed  one  day.  Found  the  party  had 
sailed.  A  corporal  and  six  men  with  small  boat  left  for 
me.  After  receiving  from  the  Colonel  particular  orders 
relative  to  myself,  I  embarked  again  with  Mr.  O'Hara. 
and  in  a  few  hours,  with  brisk  rowing,  overtook  the  com- 
missioners, who  had  halted  at  Little  Beaver  creek,  where 
Captain  Hutchens  and  several  surveyors  were  encamped. 
Here  we  stayed  some  minutes.  About  ten  o'clock  at 
night  we  got  to  where  the  troops  were  encamped,  near 
the  mouth  of  Yellow  Creek,  30th  September,  1785.  A 
very  pretty  looking  company,  commanded  by  Captain 
Doughty,  of  New  York,  arrived  at  M'Intosh  the  same  day 
the  other  left. 

Oct.  3d.  —  Reached  Wheeling.  Joined  by  several  of 
the  contractor's  boats  loaded  with  provisions.  Our  fleet 
now  consists  of  twelve  small  keels  and  batteaux,  besides 
two  large  flats  called  Kentucky  boats.  The  flats  carry 
cattle,  horses,  &c. ;  the  others,  the  troops  and  goods  for 
the  Indians.  Ohio  river  remarkably  low  —  two  pilots 
employed  to  keep  ahead  and  point  out  the  channel ;  not- 
withstanding, some  of  the  boats  frequently  ground. 

Stk. —  Encamped  opposite  mouth  of  Little  Kanahwa. 
My  uncle,  Captain  Parker,  owns  the  ground  above 
Kanahwa ;  crossed  over  in  light  boat ;  his  improvements 
made  just  before  the  war  scarcely  visible ;  place  grown 
up ;  pretty  tract  of  land.  Settlement  and  pre-emption 


58  MILITAKY    JOURNAL    OF 

entitle  him  to  fourteen  hundred  acres.  Will  be  valuable 
property  not  long  hence. 

\\th. — Passage  very  tedious;  water  low  and  frequent 
interruptions ;  made  not  more  than  ten  and  fifteen  miles 
a  day.  Fine  opportunity  of  hunting  and  fishing  along 
the  shore.  Game  plenty,  particularly  turkeys.  Some 
elegant  bottoms  on  both  sides  of  the  river ;  but  generally 
opposite  the  most  prominent  parts  of  the  bottoms,  the 
hill  makes  in  and  forms  what  is  called  narrows.  Colonel 
Monroe,  a  member  of  Congress  from  Virginia,  on  a 
visit  to  Kentucky,  took  passage  with  the  commissioners. 
Obliged  to  meet  Congress  early  in  October,  and  anxious 
to  get  on ;  a  light  boat  got  ready ;  a  sergeant,  myself,  a 
corporal  and  six  privates,  embark  with  the  Colonel  — 
leave  the  fleet,  and  after  rowing  about  fifteen  miles  ar- 
rive at  Great  Kanahwa. 

12th. — Spent  this  morning  with  Colonel  Lewis,  who  is 
proprietor  of  the  place.  Several  families  reside  with  him 
on  the  point — it  is  a  very  pretty  situation.  Set  out  about 
eleven  o'clock ;  kept  half  our  crew  at  the  oars  all  night. 

13th.  —  In  the  evening  passed  the  Three  Islands ;  nar- 
row channel  here  ;  Indian  crossing  place.  Frequent  at- 
tacks on  boats  at  this  place ;  saw  nothing ;  arrived  safe 
at  Limestone,  late. 

14th.  —  Colonel  Monroe  having  procured  horses  to 
carry  him  to  Lexington,  left  me  at  ten  o'clock.  Nothing 
remarkable  here ;  place  only  settled  this  spring ;  indif- 
ferent kind  of  folks.  This  is  said  to  be  the  best  and 
nearest  landing  place  to  Lexington  — if  so,  it  will  in  a 
short  time  become  of  some  importance. 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  59 

18th. — Fleet  arrive — make  a  short  halt  and  pass  on.  I 
follow  in  my  light  boat ;  encamp  early  in  the  evening ; 
men  cook  provisions  for  next  day. 

22d. — Arrive  at  the  Great  Miami.  Best  ground  for  our 
station  about  a  mile  above  the  mouth,  where  the  boats 
were  brought  and  every  thing  unloaded.  All  hands  set 
to  work  chopping,  clearing,  &c.,  and  preparing  timber 
for  block-houses  and  pickets ;  and  on  the  8th  instant  had 
ourselves  inclosed.  Hoisted  the  United  States  flag,  and 
christened  the  place  Fort  Finney,  in  compliment  to  Cap- 
tain Finney,  the  commanding  officer.  Our  work  is  a 
square  stockade  fort  ;  substantial  block-houses,  two 
stories,  twenty-four  by  eighteen  feet  in  each  angle  ;  cur- 
tains one  hundred  feet  of  stout  pickets,  four  feet  in  the 
ground,  and  nine  feet  above ;  situate  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards  from  the  river,  on  a  rising  second  bank.  A 
building,  eighteen  by  twenty  feet,  within  the  east  and 
west  curtains,  for  the  accommodation  and  reception  of 
contractors'  stores  and  Indian  goods ;  and  one  small,  but 
strong  building,  centre  of  north  curtain,  for  magazine. 
A  council  house,  twenty  by  sixty,  detached,  but  within 
gun  shot.  Commissioners  and  their  followers  pitch  their 
tents  within  the  fort,  and  erect  wooden  chimneys.  Sea- 
son very  favorable,  but  growing  cool.  Men  employed 
finishing  the  block -houses,  and  clearing  off  the  timber 
and  brush  to  some  distance  outside. 

Nov.  13th. — Corporal  Thompson  arrived  with  his  boat, 
in  company  with  General  Parsons,  one  of  the  commis- 
sioners. 

24,th. — Messengers  who  set  out  from  Pittsburgh  to  the 


60  MILITAKY    JOURNAL    OF 

Indian  towns,  to  invite  the  Indians  to  a  treaty  at  this 
place,  arrive  with  six  chiefs  of  the  Shawanees,  Wyan- 
dot  and  Delaware  nations,  to  wit:  Captain  Johnny,  or 
Red  Pole,  Half -King,  Crane,  Pipe,  Wingeman  and 
White-Eyes  —  all  very  glad  to  see  us  brothers.  Some 
grog  and  smoke  produced. 

2oth. — Wrote  to  Colonel  Harmar  at  Philadelphia,  an 
account  of  our  passage,  &c.,  and  of  the  arrival  of  the  In- 
dians, state  of  the  troops,  &c. 

27th. — Caught  two  large  Kentucky  boats  floating  down 
empty  —  had  been  unloaded  at  Limestone,  and  carried 
away  by  a  sudden  rise  of  water.  Boards  served  us  for 
floors,  sentry  boxes  and  other  useful  purposes.  About 
one  hundred  Indians  assemble  and  encamp  a  couple 
of  miles  from  us ;  the  greatest  part  Wyandots,  a  few 
Delawares. 

Dec.  5th.  —  Generals  Clark,  Butler  and  Parsons  leave 
us  on  a  visit  to  the  Falls  of  Ohio,  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  below.  Captain  Finney  and  myself,  with  a 
party  of  soldiers  in  boat,  go  to  Big  Bone  Lick,  thirty 
miles  down ;  dig  up  and  collect  some  astonishing  large 
bones. 

Dec.  6th.  —  Spent  this  day  in  the  Indian  camp  by  in- 
vitation ;  treated  with  attention.  It  was  a  high  day 
among  them,  a  frolic  and  feast ;  several  games  played — 
exceedingly  active  at  the  game  our  boys  call  shinny  or 
common.  About  forty  young  men  were  paraded  for  this 
game,  equally  divided ;  the  ground  had  been  cleared  for 
the  purpose.  At  the  centre  was  a  painted  post,  decorated 
with  pieces  of  cloth  suitable  for  legsinsrs  and  breech 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  61 

clouts  ;  the  winning  side  got  these.  Their  ball  the  size 
of  a  man's  head,  made  of  deer's  hair,  covered  with  skin ; 
their  sticks  four  or  five  feet  long,  resembling  a  racket. 
The  ball  was  thrown  in  the  air — all  endeavored  to  catch 
it  upon  his  racket ;  a  fellow  would  take  it  in  this  way 
and  keep  in  until  another  more  smart  overtook  him  or 
knocked  it  abroad,  when  another  scramble  took  place. 
They  insisted  on  my  joining  in  one  of  these  games. 
Several  other  games  were  played ;  some  with  beans  and 
dishes  or  bowls,  in  imitation  of  backgammon.  Our  din- 
ner was  served  upon  skins  spread  on  the  ground.  Had 
walked  to  the  camp,  but  must  ride  back  ;  girl  and  horse 
got  for  me. l 

1  Elsewhere  in  a  note  he  says  :  "  I  left  the  garrison  in  company  with  Mr. 
Zane  (a  man  who  has  been  brought  up  during  his  youth  amongst  "the 
Wyandots),  to  share  in  the  amusements  of  a  frolic  that  was  to  take  place 
this  day.  Accordingly,  when  we  arrived  at  their  encampment  we  were 
taken  very  friendly  by  the  hand,  and  desired  to  fall  in  with  them  at  a 
game  of  common.  The  first  thing  did  was  to  divide  the  whole  into  two 
parties;  this  ceremony  was  performed  by  two  old  sachems;  and  then  took 
post  on  each  side  of  an  elegant  decorated  post  of  sugar  tree,  on  the  top  of 
which  was  as  much  new  scarlet  cloth  as  would  make  a  pair  of  leggings ; 
around  the  middle  was  bound  a  pair  of  scarlet  garters.  These  were  the 
prizes.  When  all  was  ready,  one  of  the  old  men  gave  a  halloo  as  a  signal 
to  make  ready,  which  was  answered  by  another  from  each  of  the  company ; 
at  that  instant  the  ball  was  thrown  up  in  the  air,  then  at  it  we  went,  and 
contended  for  half  an  hour.  At  length  it  was  sent  past  the  stage,  and  the 
person  who  struck  it  declared  it  aloud,  which  ended  that  game — he  being 
presented  with  the  leggings.  And  in  the  same  manner  was  the  garter 
played  for ;  he  who  hit  the  ball  the  last  got  the  prize. 

"  After  dinner  another  play  was  introduced,  which  was  called  mamondys. 
Having  all  sat  down  in  a  circle,  they  placed  some  blankets  in  the  centre, 
and  two  of  them  began  the  play,  with  a  wooden  dish  and  six  plum  stones 
in  it,  marked  on  each  side  something  like  dice.  They  shook  the  dishes 
about,  and  from  certain  marks  one  would  soon  exceed  the  other.  With 


MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

. The  Indian  women  assembled  in  our  council 

house  and  desired  the  attendance  of  the  chief  captain 
(Captain  Finney).  We  all  turned  out,  heard  an  oration 
from  one  of  their  elderly  ones,  the  conclusion  of  which 
was  a  request  for  something  to  warm  their  hearts. 

I2tk. — Accompany  Isaac  Zane,  a  white  man,  and  two 
Indians,  on  a  hunting  party.  We  took  a  light  boat,  went 
up  the  river  seven  miles,  and  pitched  a  camp ;  had  an 
Indian  woman  along  to  keep  camp.  First  day,  too  anx- 
ious in  pursuit  of  buffalo,  lost  my  course ;  intended  to 
have  kept  near  to  Zean ;  he  was  led  off.  I  was  alone  and 
followed  by  wolves,  yowling  occasionally.  Zean  heard 
the  report  of  my  rifle  and  came  up ;  was  very  glad  to  see 
him.  Concluded  to  return  to  camp ;  he  conducted  me 
some  distance.  Before  we  parted  he  killed  a  doe ;  open- 
ed the  udder  with  his  knife — milk  collected,  of  which  I 
drank.  Got  to  camp  and  stayed  there.  Party  returned 
home  the  fourth  day,  and  brought  with  us  the  meat  of 
three  buffaloes,  two  bears  and  parts  of  a  number  of  deer. 

\5th,  —  The  same  day  we  returned  from  our  hunt,  it 
rained  excessively  hard.  We  were  joined  by  our  com- 
missioners from  the  Rapids,  just  at  the  landing ;  they 
having  received  a  plentiful  quantity  of  wet  that  occasion- 
ed a  near  resemblance  to  drowned  rats. 

18th.  —  Three  Shawanee  Indians  arrived  with  a  speech 

these  and  other  affairs  we  diverted  ourselves  until  it  grew  late,  when 
taking  our  leave,  one  who  had  expressed  a  great  deal  of  friendship  for  me, 
remarked  that  the  road  was  dirty,  that  we  had  three  miles  to  go,  and  that 
I  would  be  much  the  better  of  a  horse — if  I  would  accept  of  one  he  would 
soon  have  him  procured  ;  I  assented  ;  accordingly  a  squaw  was  dispatched, 
and  soon  after  we  were  both  mounted  and  conducted  home  by  two  females." 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENXY.  63 

from  their  nation,  informing  us  of  their  being  on  their 
way  to  this  place.  This  was  very  agreeable  news  to  our 
commissioners. 

19/A. —  Major  Montgomery  and  Mr.  Elliot  were  sent 
in  a  boat,  with  a  sergeant  and  four  privates,  up  to  Lime- 
stone, in  search  of  several  horses  that  were  stolen  from 
the  Indians  here,  and  were  heard  of  at  that  place. 

2Qtk. — Commissioners  returned  a  few  days  since  from 
the  Falls ;  disappointed  at  not  finding  more  Indians 
come  in.  Those  with  us,  about  one  hundred,  are  princi- 
pally Wyandots  and  Delawares,  with  whom  the  treaty  at 
M'Intosh  was  held.  The  Shawanees  are  the  fellows  the 
present  treaty  was  intended  for ;  they  seem  to  hang  back. 
Indians  treated  very  kindly  —  dancing  parties  in  our 
council  house  almost  every  afternoon ;  the  men  jump, 
stamp  and  exert  themselves  much,  but  all  keep  good 
time ;  females  glide  round,  and  have  a  gait  or  step  pecu- 
liar to  themselves.  An  old  fellow  has  a  keg,  with  skin 
drawn  over  each  head — sort  of  drum  on  which  he  beats 
time  —  considerable  regularity — dance  in  a  circle  round 
the  fire  —  can't  dance  without  something  to  make  their 
hearts  warm,  and  generally  break  up  pretty  merry. 
Very  few  went  home  sober,  but  those  who  did  were  sure 
to  get  drunk  at  night.  They  would  come  next  day  and 
peremptorily  demand  a  quantity  of  rum;  on  being  re- 
fused they  set  homeward  very  much  offended,  declaring 
that  the  next  day  should  move  them  off,  never  to  be  seen 
as  friends  again.  This  day  our  clothing  came. 

Dec.  20th.  —  The  commissioners  are  of  opinion  that 
a  post  will  be  continued  here ;  they  think  it  an  eligible 


64  MILITAKY    JOURNAL    OF 

position  until  we  are  in  possession  of  Detroit,  &c.  It 
is  convenient  to  the  principal  body  of  the  savages  who 
inhabit  the  head  waters  of  the  Miami,  and  we  are  about 
seventy-five  miles  north  of  Lexington,  to  which  place  a 
road  is  now  marked  out ;  the  Falls  of  Louisville,  below, 
and  Limestone  settlement  above. 

2lst.  —  Sent  a  return  to  Colonel  Harmar  by  Mr.  Hu- 
lings,  inclosed  in  a  letter,  the  copy  of  which  is  as  follows : 

COLONEL  —  Since  my  last,  the  commissioners  after  sending  back  the 
Shawanee  chiefs,  to  bring  in  their  nation  and  others  on  the  Wabash,  &c., 
have  taken  a  trip  to  the  Rapids,  where  they  left  General  Clark.  Whether 
he  will  return  or  not,  is  a  doubt  with  us ;  but  General  Butler  and  Gen- 
eral Parsons  say  he  will  be  up  in  a  few  days.  Our  reason  for  thinking  he 
will  scarcely  return,  is,  that  while  here  he  had  received  almost  daily 
complaints  from  the  people  on  the  frontiers  of  Kentucky,  against  the  In- 
dians, and  reflecting  on  him  for  trifling,  as  they  think,  with  some  of  the 
savages,  while  others  are  plundering  them.  The  people  are  very  ripe  for 
a  campaign  into  the  towns. 

A  runner  arrived  two  days  since  with  a  speech  from  the  Shawanees, 
informing  us  of  the  whole  nation  being  on  their  way  to  this  place.  But 
after  they  do  arrive,  there  are  several  more  nations  to  be  coaxed,  so  that 
from  every  appearance,  next  spring  will  bring  up  the  rear  of  the  treaty 
Much  more  indulgence  is  allowed  the  Indians  here  than  was  at  M'Intosh. 
Dancing,  playing  common,  &c.  (for  which  they  are  well  supplied  with  ma- 
terials to  make  their  hearts  merry),  are  frequent  amusements  here.  Major 
Finney  is  determined  they  shan't  act  Pontiac  with  him,  for  every  precau- 
tion is  taken  at  that  time. 

The  commissioners  are  of  opinion  that  this  place  is  the  most  advanta- 
geous spot  to  keep  troops  at,  until  we  have  possession  of  others  farther 
northerly,  as  it  is  convenient  to  the  principal  body  of  the  savages,  and 
nearly  an  equal  distance  from  the  Rapids,  the  interior  part  of  Kentucky, 
and  Limestone,  which  is  the  upper  part  of  the  settlement.  There  has 
been  a  road  marked  out  from  this  place  to  Lexington,  their  capital  town, 


MAJOK    EBENEZER    DENNY.  65 

from  which  we  can  have  any  supplies  we  might  stand  in  need  of.     The 
distance  is  about  seventy-five  miles. 

The  companies'  clothing  came  to  hand  yesterday,  all  in  good  order. 
The  commissioners  made  a  compliment  to  Major  Finney  of  as  much  white 
half-thicks  as  made  each  man  a  pair  of  over-alls ;  they  have  been  worn  for 
some  time  past,  so  that  their  sufferings  are  not  so  great  as  you  might 
imagine.  Opportunities  are  so  seldom  up  the  river  that  I  can't  possibly 
send  you  returns  as  regular  as  I  could  wish,  but  none  shall  be  neglected. 
I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  your  very  humble  servant, 

E.  D. 

23*7.  —  General  Clark  arrived  from  the  Rapids,  which 
was  a  very  agreeable  surprise,  as  few  of  us  expected  him. 

25th. — -A  very  dull  Christmas  (Sunday). 

28th. — The  chiefs  of  the  Delaware  nation  (particularly 
Captain  Pipe)  made  proposals  to  our  commissioners  to 
send  once  more  to  their  towns,  to  know  why  a  certain 
tribe  of  their's  did  not  come  in  agreeably  to  a  promise, 
and  likewise,  if  the  commissioners  would  send  a  mes- 
senger, he  should  be  accompanied  by  their  runners  into 
the  Shawanee  towns,  and  to  the  more  western  towns,  to 
bring  a  final  answer  from  them.  All  was  agreed  to ;  and 
at  the  request  of  the  commissioners,  Mr.  Doyle  prepared 
to  accompany  Mr.  Ranken. 

29th. — New  deputation  sent  to  bring  the  Shawanees,  if 
possible,  to  treat  —  Lieutenant  Doyle  went  along  —  all 
mounted.  The  caravan  took  up  the  line  of  march,  and 
was  expected  would  move  on  in  state.  Mr.  Doyle,  with 
his  friend,  Mr.  Ranken,  and  a  young  man,  an  assistant, 
with  two  Indian  men  and  several  women,  formed  the  line. 
They  had  not  been  long  on  the  road  until  a  very  heavy 
cold  rain  came  on,  from  which  they  must  have  suffered 
5 


66  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

much ;  but  as  the  party  consisted  of  old  warriors,  it  was 
expected  they  would  not  be  discouraged  at  any  difficul- 
ties of  that  kind,  but  proceed  as  men  employed  on  such 
business  ought  to. 

31st. I  set  out  in  company  with  two  Shawanees  to 

provide  a  few  turkeys  for  the  first  of  the  year,  and  at  the 
request  of  General  Parsons,  agreed  to  meet  him,  General 
Butler  and  Major  Finney,  at  a  large  pond  about  six 
miles  up  the  river ;  they  to  go  in  a  boat.  After  we  had 
rode  the  distance  of  four  or  five  miles  (for  our  party  was 
all  on  horse-back ;  I  Avas  mounted  on  one  of  the  Indians' 
wife's  horse  and  saddle),  we  got  amongst  the  turkeys; 
and  the  first  thing  done  was  to  charge  upon  them,  so  as 
to  cause  them  to  fly  up  on  the  trees,  and  all  the  bowlings 
and  frightful  screeches  I  ever  heard,  were  given  to  effect 
this  purpose.  As  soon  as  the  turkeys  rose  we  alighted 
and  commenced  firing.  In  this  manner  we  sported  with 
two  flocks,  until  we  had  as  many  as  we  could  convenient- 
ly carry  home ;  then  steering  our  course  toward  the  boat, 
met  a  horse  belonging  to  the  Indians,  and  the  only  one 
that  was  left  behind ;  he  missing  his  old  companions,  got 
on  their  track,  and  having  a  bell  on,  alarmed  the  boat, 
just  as  it  was  putting  into  the  place  appointed  for  our 
meeting,  and  occasioned  them  to  make  to  the  other  side 
of  the  river ;  so  we  were  obliged  to  return  home  without 
the  refreshment  which  we  expected  from  them. 

Jan.  1st,  1786.  —  Agreeably  to  an  invitation,  the  com- 
missioners and  their  gentlemen  dined  with  Major  Finney, 
Mr.  M' Do  well  and  myself,  in  our  hut,  where  we  spent  a 
few  sociable  hours  in  memory  of  the  late  year,  and  drink- 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY-  67 

ing  success  to  the  ensuing  one.  Just  as  tattoo  was  striking 
off,  a  gun  was  fired  on  the  river  and  a  light  shone  that 
did  not  a  little  alarm  us,  but  upon  examination  was  dis- 
covered to  be  a  boat  passing ;  we  made  her  come  to  shore. 
One  of  her  hands  was  an  old  man,  who  had  been  lately 
made  a  prisoner  by  the  Shawanees.  His  story  is  as  fol- 
lows :  About  two  weeks  since,  himself  and  his  two  sons 
were  hunting  on  the  head  waters  of  Yellow  Creek ;  at 
a  time  when  the  sons  were  after  their  horses,  two  Indians 
came  on  him,  and  after  inquiring  of  his  company  (for 
they  could  talk  English)  moved  off  very  rapidly,  taking 
him  along  as  a  prisoner ;  he  says  they  treated  him  toler- 
ably, only  that  his  hands  were  bound ;  but  when  they 
arrived  at  the  Indian  town,  an  old  man  took  the  direction 
and  loosed  his  arms,  returning  to  him  his  blanket,  which 
had  been  taken,  along  with  a  rifle  and  some  ammunition. 
He  was  kept  about  two  hours,  when  the  same  old  man, 
who  could  talk  very  good  English,  conducted  him  from 
the  town,  placed  him  on  a  path  that  led  to  where  two  of 
the  old  man's  sons  were  hunting ;  he  at  the  same  time 
gave  the  prisoner  a  horse,  three  pints  of  parched  corn 
and  a  shell  to  deliver  to  these  boys,  and  then  sent  him 
off.  The  prisoner  found  the  boys  and  delivered  the  shell ; 
they  knowing  the  horse,  and  understanding  the  token, 
conducted  the  prisoner  down  to  the  Three  Islands,  about 
eleven  miles  above  Limestone;  and  just  as  they  ap- 
proached the  river  they  discovered  a  boat  on  its  way 
down.  The  Indians  being  apprehensive  of  some  danger 
from  the  boat,  did  not  wait  for  its  coming  ashore,  but 
after  bidding  farewell  with  the  white  man,  took  their 


68  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

horse,  which  he  rode,  and  moved  off.  The  white  man 
hailed  the  boat,  got  on  board,  and  so  arrived  at  this  place. 

2d. Major  Montgomery  and  Mr.  Elliot  arrived  with 

two  of  the  horses  that  they  went  in  search  of;  the  third 
one  they  were  not  able  to  get,  but  expect  that  Colonel 
Boon,  a  very  worthy  gentleman  at  Limestone,  will  re- 
cover him. 

8?A.  —  Lieutenant  Doyle  arrived,  and  informed  us  that 
after  a  disagreeable  march  of  sixty  miles,  they  wrere  met 
by  a  party  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  Shawanees,  on  Sun- 
day, the  first  of  the  year.  After  consulting,  it  was  agreed 
that  he  and  Mr.  Rankin  should  return,  and  Wengeanem, 
the  Indian  chief,  go  forward  as  far  as  was  first  intended ; 
indeed,  the  chief  thought,  that  as  Lieutenant  Doyle  and 
Mr.  Rankin  were  under  his  protection,  that  he  ought  to 
have  the  right  of  ordering  them,  and  did  order  them 
back  with  the  Shawanees.  Lieutenant  Doyle  says  that 
the  few  nights  he  was  with  them  their  march  was  con- 
ducted with  great  regularity ;  that  the  whole  appeared  to 
be  formed  in  certain  squads,  equal  in  number,  and  when 
any  of  their  young  men  or  hunters  would  kill  meat,  it 
was  brought,  laid  down  by  the  chiefs,  one  of  whom  cut 
it  into  as  many  shares  as  there  were  squads  or  fires  (for 
every  squad  had  their  own  fire)  and  sent  it  off  by  men, 
who  appeared  to  serve  as  fatigue  men  for  the  day ;  so 
there  was  no  one  lived  better  than  another,  but  all  fared 
alike.  Every  evening  after  they  halted  and  fixed  them- 
selves properly,  Captain  Johnny,  a  young  Indian  who 
lived  with  the  chiefs,  and  seemed  to  act  as  an  aid,  would 
take  a  drum  made  out  of  a  keg,  with  skins  tied  over  each 


MAJOE    EBENEZEK    DENNY.  69 

end,  and  beat  some  kind  of  a  signal ;  on  hearing  which, 
the  whole  would  assemble  and  spend  the  greatest  part  of 
the  night  in  dancing  and  feasting.  Lieutenant  Doyle 
continued  with  them  until  the  whole  got  within  twenty 
miles  of  the  Fort,  when  hearing  that  they  intended 
resting  at  that  place,  while  another  party  of  the  same 
number  would  join  them,  he  took  leave  of  Mr.  Ranken 
and  came  with  his  suite  to  the  garrison. 

9th. — George  White-Eyes  and  Pipe's  son,  set  out  with 
dispatches  for  Muskinguin,  the  purport  of  which  was  to 
have  stores  and  liquors  sent  down. 

14^A. — We  received  information  of  the  Shawanees  in- 
tending to  come  into  the  council  house,  and  that  on  their 
approach  they  would  salute  us  with  three  rounds  per 
man.  Our  commissioners  knowing  them  to  be  a  very 
proud  nation,  thought  it  best  to  pay  them  the  same 
honors,  and  ordered  preparations  in  a  style  rather  de- 
grading to  the  United  States,  which  was,  that  a  party 
of  soldiers  should  cook  and  serve  out  provisions  to  them 
in  the  council  house.  Now  with  them,  the  most  decrepit 
old  women  are  made  choice  of  for  that  business;  and 
nothing  could  have  occasioned  greater  laughter  than  the 
appearance  of  soldiers  carrying  kettles  of  provisions  to 
them.  When  the  Indians  saw  them,  they  cried  out, 
"  There  come  the  old  women  with  warriors'  coats  on,"  &c. 
And  who  knows  but  they  conceived  us  all  old  women 
clad  in  uniform.  In  order  to  return  their  salute,  twelve 
men  were  ordered  to  parade,  with  three  rounds  of  car- 
tridges, and  myself  to  command  them.  We  waited 
their  approach,  which  was  very  solemn.  As  they  came 


70  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

up  they  gave  us  Indian  music,  beat  on  a  keg  drum  by 
one  of  the  chiefs,  the  whole  singing  at  the  same  time. 
Their  line  was  formed  in  rank  of  file,  the  women  bring- 
ing up  the  rear,  all  in  very  regular  order.  When  their 
firing  was  over  I  commenced,  and  in  the  intervals  gave 
them  a  tune  on  the  drum  and  fife. 

After  all  were  seated,  their  chief  warrior,  Wiendooha- 
lies,  from  Wapotomaky,  rose  and  wiped  our  eyes,  open- 
ed our  hearts,  &c.  After  which  our  commissioners  de- 
livered a  speech,  informing  them  of  their  commission  and 
Congress'  desire  to  treat  with  all  nations  between  the 
Mississippi  and  the  St.  Lawrence,  north  of  the  Ohio,  and 
bidding  the  Shawanees  welcome  to  the  thirteen  great 
fires ;  that  at  their  next  meeting  the  business  would  be 
entered  into  more  fully.  The  Shawanees  then  desired 
to  shake  hands  with  the  warriors ;  accordingly  the  officers 
paraded  in  the  centre  and  received  them  all  by  the  hand. 
A  smoke  from  their  pipes  of  peace  took  place  next ;  and 
about  dark  a  signal  was  given  to  march,  and  off  they 
went. 

Vdth. —  It  snowed  until  the  ground  was  nearly  six 
inches  covered ;  but  immediately  after  came  warm 
weather  which  melted  the  whole,  and  caused  the  river 
to  rise. 

'2\st. — Bohengeehalus, J  with  about  twenty  Delawares, 
arrived.  They  were  saluted  in  the  same  manner  that 
the  others  were.  Bohengeehalus  is  esteemed  one  of  the 
greatest  warriors  now  among  all  the  Indians.  After  he 


1  Bohengeelwlus,  a  very  largo  stout  man,  brother  of  the  "  Grenadier 
Squaw." 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  71 

had  seated  himself  he  discovered  General  Clark,  and 
knowing  him  to  be  a  great  warrior,  rose  and  saluted  him 
very  significantly — instead  of  taking  hold  of  each  other's 
hands,  they  gripped  nearly  at  the  shoulder,  and  shook 
the  left  hand  underneath  the  right  arms. 

This  evening  we  were  entertained  with  the  Shawanees 
dancing  much  in  the  same  manner  as  was  performed  by 
the  Wyandots,  but  the  assembly  was  vastly  larger.  After 
they  had  gone  through  several  of  their  common  dances 
they  prepared  for  a  war  dance.  The  Shawanees  have  a 
variety  of  dances ;  but  the  most  pleasant  one  is  their 
social  dance,  as  it  is  interpreted.  As  many  young  men 
as  please,  form  a  ring  round  the  fire,  move,  dance  and 
sing  love  songs ;  the  girls  looking  on  for  some  time — at 
length  they  rise  one  after  the  other,  as  the  spirit  moves 
them,  and  seize  a  partner.  The  couple  stick  to  each 
other,  dancing  and  performing  every  possible  gesture, 
but  still  keep  in  the  ring,  singing  and  beating  time  to 
their  music.  Now,  while  busily  engaged,  the  parties  ex- 
change some  articles  of  dress,  or  other  things,  as  a  token 
of  their  regard.  The  girls  were  very  fond  of  getting  a 
few  of  us  engaged  in  this  dance.  But  the  war  dance  ex- 
ceeds all — it  was  performed  at  the  request  of  the  officers. 
Eight  or  ten  of  the  most  active  men  stripped  themselves 
quite  naked,  except  the  breech  clout,  painted  their  bodies 
and  faces,  so  as  to  have  a  horrid  appearance ;  armed  with 
tomahawk  and  scalping  knife,  they  formed  a  circle, 
danced  moderately  to  a  mournful  kind  of  tune  for  ten  or 
fifteen  minutes,  gave  the  war-whoop,  and  sat  down  to- 
gether on  seats  placed  for  the  purpose.  They  now  hung 


72  MILITARY    JOUENAL    OF 

their  heads— a  dead  silence  for  a  short  time ;  one  gets  up, 
dances  and  capers  to  the  music  —  repeats  his  exploits, 
the  injuries  they  had  sustained,  urging  the  others  to  be 
strong,  and  rise  and  revenge  themselves  upon  their  ene- 
mies. At  length  they  are  roused,  one  after  the  other, 
until  all  get  up,  when  they  commence  the  most  tremen- 
dous yelling,  jumping  and  figuring  about  in  imitation 
of  shooting,  scalping  and  tomahawking,  exerting  them- 
selves exceedingly,  until  a  signal  is  given  for  silence.  A 
short  speech  concludes. 

24th. — The  treaty  concluded  at  M'Intosh  was  explain- 
ed to  Bohengeehalus  and  his  tribe,  to  their  satisfaction. 

2oth. — One  of  the  Shawanee  chiefs  died. 

26th. — Shawanees  occupied  our  long  house  in  dancing 
every  day,  for  ten  days  past.  Officers  and  young  gentle- 
men attending  the  commissioners  very  frequently  join 
them.  Business  opened  this  day  by  an  excellent  speech 
from  our  commissioners  to  all  the  Indians  —  about  four 
hundred  present.  The  boundary  lines,  designating  the 
lands  allotted  the  several  nations,  were  particularly  de- 
scribed and  pointed  out  on  the  map.  They  were  told 
that  as  they  had  joined  the  English  and  taken  up  the 
hatchet  against  the  United  States,  and  the  war  having 
terminated  in  favor  of  the  latter,  and  that  the  English, 
also,  to  obtain  peace,  had  ceded  the  whole  of  the  country 
on  this  side  of  the  lakes  to  the  Americans ;  that  they, 
the  Indians,  must  now  look  up  to  the  Americans,  and 
ought  to  be  thankful  if  allowed  to  occupy  any  part  of  the 
country,  which  by  the  war  they  had  forfeited ;  neverthe- 
less, more  perhaps  than  they  expected  would  be  done  for 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  73 

them,  but  they  must  leave  hostages  for  their  good  be- 
havior, &c. 

27  th.  —  Shawanees  met  in  council  house.  Their  head 
warrior,  Kickwaypalathey,  replied  to  the  speech  of  yes- 
terday ;  denied  the  power  and  right  which  the  United 
States  assumed ;  asked  if  the  Great  Spirit  had  given  it 
to  them  to  cut  and  portion  the  country  in  the  manner 
proposed.  The  Ohio  river  they  would  agree  to,  nothing 
short;  and  offered  a  mixed  belt,  indicating  peace  or  war. 
None  touched  the  belt  —  it  was  laid  on  the  table ;  Gen- 
eral Clark,  with  his  cane,  pushed  it  off  and  set  his  foot 
on  it.  Indians  very  sullen.  Commissioners  told  them 
it  was  well,  that  the  United  States  did  not  wish  war,  that 
two  days  yet  would  be  allowed  to  consider  of  the  terms 
proposed,  and  six  days  more  with  provisions  to  return 
home ;  but  after  that  to  take  care,  for  they  would  cer- 
tainly feel  the  force  of  the  United  States.  Council  broke 
up  hastily.  Some  commotion  among  the  Shawanees. 
Returned  same  afternoon  and  begged  another  meeting, 
when  their  old  king,  Molunthy,  rose  and  made  a  short 
speech,  presented  a  white  string,  doing  away  all  that 
their  chief  warrior  had  said,  prayed  that  we  would  have 
pity  on  women  and  children,  &c. 

Feb.  1st.  —  Treaty  concluded  and  signed ;  presents  de- 
livered, and  provisions  furnished  each  tribe  for  six  days. 
Five  Shawanees  left  as  hostages. 

8th. — The  commissioners,  messengers  and  attendants, 
left  us ;  returned  in  three  boats.  Wrote  to  Colonel  Har- 
mar  at  Philadelphia.  Our  commissioners  were  heartily 
sick  of  continuing  so  long  at  this  place ;  their  fare  was  so 


74  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

indifferent  for  a  month  past,  having  nothing  but  whiskey 
with  beef  and  bread.  Fortunately  a  boat  arrived  two 
days  before  they  determined  to  start,  which  supplied 
them  with  some  liquors  for  their  trip,  and  a  small  quan- 
tity of  sugar,  an  article  they  have  been  out  of  since  the 
rum  was  done.  After  they  had  prepared  and  determined 
to  start  up  in  boats,  took  leave  of  us  in  the  afternoon, 
and  hoisted  sail.  We  fired  a  few  rounds  by  way  of 
a  salute.  They  having  a  fine  wind,  and  their  boats, 
three  in  number,  being  well  rigged  with  a  sail  each, 
soon  got  out  of  sight. 

By  Lieutenant  Doyle,  who  accompanied  the  commis- 
sioners, I  sent  two  returns  to  Colonel  Harmar,  one  dated 
the  1st  of  January,  the  other  the  present  date;  they 
were  both  inclosed  in  a  letter  a  copy  of  which  is  as  fol- 
lows, viz : 

COLONEL  —  We  were  agreeably  surprised  a  few  days  after  I  wrote  you 
last,  with  the  arrival  of  General  Clark  in  a  small  canoe.  I  think  I  men- 
tioned his  going  to  the  Rapids  with  the  other  commissioners,  and  not  re- 
turning with  them.  I  likewise  mentioned  that  the  Shawanees  were  on 
their  way  to  the  treaty ;  it  was  true,  but  their  movements  were  very  slow, 
for  they  did  not  arrive  until  the  14th  of  January.  Lieutenant  Doyle  and 
Mr.  llankin  (one  of  the  messengers)  had  set  off  to  go  to  their  towns,  but 
meeting  them  about  sixty  miles  distant,  returned.  Lieutenant  Doyle's 
descriptkm  of  their  march,  and  the  mode  of  conduct  since  they  arrived, 
confirms  the  character  which  we  had  of  them,  which  is  a  proud,  ambitious, 
smart  nation.  The  young  men  seem  to  be  under  strict  subordination  to 
two  or  three  old  sachems.  They  have  a  white  flag,  which  they  marched 
in  with,  a  drum  and  several  other  instruments  of  music.  The  pipe  of 
peace  is  the  most  elegant  I  have  ever  seen.  They  have  a  greater  com- 
mand of  their  appetites  than  some  other  nations;  as  a  proof,  they  abso- 
lutely refused  receiving  any  liquor  for  some  days  after  their  arrival. 


s  r 

MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  75 

Twenty-first  of  January  a  tribe  of  Delawares  came  in.  The  leader's 
name  is  Bohengeehalus.  It  is  said  he  is  the  principal  warrior  amongst 
the  Wyandots  and  Delawares.  Nothing  more  than  an  explanation  of  the 
treaty  at  M'Intosh  was  done  with  him. 

Twenty-sixth,  our  commissioners  delivered  a  speech  to  the  Shawanees, 
setting  forth  their  business,  &c.,  and  acquainting  them  of  the  country 
which  would  be  allowed  them.  Next  day  a  reply  was  made,  in  which  they 
burlesqued  the  dividing  of  lands,  and  asked  if  the  Great  Spirit  directed 
the  Americans  to  cut  and  divide  the  land  as  was  proposed;  no,  they  did 
not  understand  that  part.  The  Ohio,  they  thought,  was  the  fittest  line, 
and  if  we  were  satisfied,  they  would  agree  to  let  it  remain  the  boundary. 
At  hearing  this  we  began  to  entertain  different  notions  of  matters,  but  the 
affair  was  soon  cleared  up.  The  commissioners  did  not  attempt  to  touch 
the  string  which  was  given,  and  without  rising,  determined  on  an  answer, 
which  was,  that  if  they  did  not  agree  with  the  terms  proposed,  in  two 
days,  they  should  then  be  furnished  with  six  days  provisions  to  carry 
them  home,  and  no  harm  should  be  done  them  during  that  time  j  but  after 
that  take  care,  for  they  would  certainly  feel  the  force  of  the  United  States. 
Council  was  not  broke  up  more  than  fifteen  minutes  when  a  messenger 
came  for  the  commissioners.  After  they  had  assembled,  the  chief  took  a 
white  string  and  destroyed  the  whole  of  his  former  speech. 

On  the  1st  instant  the  treaty  was  concluded  with  the  Shawanees,  and 
articles  similar  to  those  at  M'Intosh  were  signed. 

The  Half-King  of  the  Wyandots  has  acted  meanly  in  the  business  of 
this  treaty  :  he  endeavored  to  prevent  the  Shawanees  agreeing  to  our  pro- 
posal, with  a  view,  we  suppose,  of  expecting  a  larger  quantity  of  goods 
that  he  thought  would  be  a  drug  on  our  hands ;  but  when  he  found  they 
desired  peace,  and  were  determined  to  agree,  he  then  declared  that  he  had 
not  given  an  answer  to  the  treaty  at  M'Intosh,  nor  would  he  give  one  here ; 
but  when  the  warm  weather  would  come,  he  would  then  go  to  Congress 
and  hear  from  them  what  was  to  be  done  with  these  lands.  No  reply  was 
made  to  this.  A  few  days  after  he  desired  a  council  for  himself  and  the 
Delawares.  When  they  convened,  he  rose  and  very  strenuously  insisted  on 
the  commissioners  enlarging  the  country  allowed  his  people  and  the  Dela- 
wares. The  commissioners  told  him  that  matter  was  settled,  and  they 


76  MILITARY    JOUKNAL    OF 

would  not  make  the  smallest  alteration.  Captain  Pipe,  of  the  Delawares 
(who  was  sitting  listening),  rose  and  said,  "  Brothers,  the  Delawares  are 
perfectly  contented,  they  have  land  enough;  and  as  a  proof  of  our  satis- 
faction, myself  and  another  chief,  with  several  young  men  (good  hunters), 
will  go  as  soon  as  we  hear  of  the  surveyors  being  out,  and  assist  them  to 
mark  the  lines,  and  (turning  to  the  Half-King)  you'll  go  too.  The  Half- 
King  was  so  much  confused  he  said  nothing. 

The  Lord  knows  when  we'll  get  rid  of  these  creatures. 

Major  Finney  does  not  expect  to  leave  this  place  until  further  orders 
from  you.  He  has  lately  received  orders  from  Major  Wyllys,  dated  at 
M'Intosh,  to  send  him  returns  of  the  troops,  and  that  only  four  rations 
(extra)  were  allowed  to  a  complete  company.  The  commissioners  think 
it  probable  another  treaty  will  be  held  next  summer,  somewhere  to  the 
northward  of  this  place.  They  regret  the  misfortune  of  not  holding  this 
one  somewhere  near  Detroit;  however,  they  all  clear  themselves  of  that 
matter. 

Our  men  have  been  kept  in  health  with  plenty  of  exercise  ;  but  in 
spring  we  may  expect  fever  and  ague,  as  the  country  about  here  is  very 
low,  and  frequently  covered  with  water. 

Three   privates  of  Captain  Doughty's   company   and   two   of   Captain 
Hart's,  that  were  here,  have  returned  with  the  commissioners. 
With  respect,  &c. 

E.  D. 


Captain  Dunn  had  arrived  the  day  before  from 
Lexington,  on  his  way  to  the  Shawanee  towns,  where  he 
intended  spending  winter.  He  took  leave  and  set  off 
with  several  of  the  Shawanee  chiefs.  General  Clark  left 
us  this  day  for  the  Falls. 

Wth.  —  A  canoe  came  down  from  Limestone,  and  in- 
formed us  that  this  morning  our  commissioners  were  not 
more  than  seven  miles  up  the  river,  but  they  had  got 
under  way  early  in  the  morning. 

12th.  —  I  wrote  to  Mr.  James  Parker  at  Lexington, 


MAJOR    EBENEZEE    DENNY.  77 

relinquishing  all  claims  to  our  former  connection,  provi- 
ded he  would  clear  me  of  the  obligation  given  Captain 
Parker  for  warrants.  The  bearer  was  Mr.  West. 

13t7i.  —  Mr.  Sims  passed  for  Fort  Pitt,  with  whom  I 
sent  the  following  letter  to  Colonel  Harmar  : 

COLONEL  : — I  forgot  to  mention  that  upon  the  arrival  of  the  Wyandots, 
Shawanees  and  Delawares  from  White  river,  we  were  saluted  by  them, 
and  having  received  notice  of  their  approach  and  intention  of  firing,  we, 
agreeably  to  the  commissioners'  request,  returned  the  salute  with  three 
rounds  of  twelve  men  each  time ;  and  previous  to  the  commissioners  leav- 
ing the  garrison  to  embark,  Major  Finney  directed  me  to  parade  the  com- 
pany, march  them  down  to  the  bank,  which  is  about  one  hundred  yards 
from  our  fort,  and  there  to  form,  so  as  to  present  arms  to  the  commission- 
ers as  they  passed  to  the  boats ;  this  was  done,  and  when  they  had  taken 
leave  and  hoisted  sail,  I  gave  them  a  platoon  by  way  of  an  acknowledg- 
ment. 

General  Clark  left  us  for  the  Kapids  on  the  10th.  He  did  not  trouble 
us  with  much  parade,  neither  did  he  take  away  any  of  our  men.  This 
last  was  a  matter  Major  Finney  endeavored  to  prevent  as  much  as  possi- 
ble. There  would  not  have  gone  half  the  number  of  soldiers  from  us 
up  the  river,  only  for  the  petty  messengers  who  took  up  as  much  room  as 

the  commissioners,  and  occasioned  a  third  boat.  There  were  B , 

M ,  E ,  and  Mr.  K ,  all  in  constant  pay  at  twenty  shillings, 

three  dollars,  and  twenty-five  shillings  per  day,  in  proportion  as  they 
ranked.  These  men  went  out  together  to  the  towns,  returned  together, 
and  were  waiting  here,  when  we  arrived.  The  Lord  knows  what  service 
some  of  them  were  of,  for  we  can't  imagine. 

We  are  now  clear  of  commissioners,  messengers,  Indians,  and  every  kind 
of  animal  except  five  hostages.  Such  a  sudden  change  makes  me  rather 
melancholy.  I  feel  as  if  I  ought  to  have  gone  with  them;  though  my 
desire  is  to  stay.  I  would  be  glad  enough  to  be  up,  but  the  season  is  so 
cold,  that  I  think  the  trip  would  be  very  disagreeable.  I  will  be  very 
thankful  if  you  will  put  it  in  my  power  to  go  up  in  the  beginning  of 


78  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

April,  or  as  soon  as  convenient,  and  leave  for  a  few  weeks,  that  I  might 
settle  some  affairs  at  Carlisle ;  for  if  we  should  go  any  farther  off  I  shall 

despair. 

E.  D. 

26(h. — Captain  O'Hara  (the  contractor)  arrived  with  a 
large  cargo  of  Indian  goods  and  stores  for  the  commis- 
sioners. He  came  in  consequence  of  the  dispatches  sent 
by  George  White-Eyes  on  the  9th  of  January.  This  was 
a  time  when  they  expected  all  the  western  Indians.  He 
likewise  brought  with  him  the  settlements  for  last  year's 
service,  and  two  months'  cash  for  the  present,  with  six 
months'  subsistence  for  the  officers. 

Captain  O'Hara  informs  us  that  he  lay  with  the  com- 
missioners the  night  of  the  23d  instant,  about  twenty- 
five  miles  below  the  Great  Kanahwa;  that  Captain 
Beatty,  our  pay-master,  was  coming  to  this  place  to  pay 
the  troops  the  above  mentioned  money,  but  being  very 
unwell,  and  having  orders  to  return  with  the  commis- 
sioners, he  put  the  cash  into  his  hands  and  went  back. 

March  Isf.  —  Major  Finney  commenced  the  payment, 
and  Captain  O'Hara  opened  a  cheap  assortment  of  goods, 
which  he  disposed  of  to  the  soldiers  as  quick  as  they  re- 
ceived their  money. 

3d,  4th  and  5th. — After  they  had  laid  out  the  greatest 
part  of  their  settlements  for  dry  goods,  reserving  only  a 
small  share  for  liquor,  they  got  permission  to  purchase 
the  same,  and  toleration  to  get  drunk,  so  that  it  would  not 
interfere  with  their  duty ;  but  this  charge  had  no  effect ; 
for  three  days  there  was  scarcely  one  sober  man  in  the 
garrison,  and  God  knows  how  long  they  would  have  con- 


MAJOR    EBENEZEE    DENNY.  79 

tinned  so,  if  the  issues  had  not  been  stopped.  So  between 
the  wet  and  dry  affairs,  Captain  O'Hara  will  take  nearly 
the  same  sum  of  money  back  that  he  brought,  except 
what  the  officers  received. 

\2tJi.  —  Two  boats  called  from  Fort  Pitt,  on  their  way 
to  "0-post,"  loaded  with  liquors  and  flour. 

VI tli.  —  A  majority  of  the  men  in  garrison  are  Irish. 
The  soldiers  requested  to  have  the  privilege  of  cele- 
brating this  day,  as  was  customary.  Accordingly  the 
bung  was  opened  and  every  man  had  permission  to 
purchase  and  drink  what  quantity  of  liquor  he  pleased ; 
and  a  pretty  good  portion  did  some  of  them  take,  for 
toward  the  evening  we  had  not  six  men  in  the  garrison 
fit  for  duty,  not  even  the  guard  excepted. 

'ISth.  —  Gr.  Palfrey  died  from  the  effects  of  too  much 
liquor — and  was  buried  the  next  day. 

20tk.  —  Since  our  establishment  at  this  place  a  few 
families  had  erected  a  station  six  miles  below  us,  on  the 
Kentucky  side.  This  morning  an  express  from  them 
informed  us  that  Indians  had  attacked  two  of  their  peo- 
ple, a  short  distance  out,  killed  one  and  wounded  the 
other.  The  wounded  person  escaped  in.  I  took  a  light 
boat,  with  sergeant  and  twelve,  hastened  to  the  station ; 
found  the  dead  man  scalped  and  cut  in  several  places ; 
buried  him,  assisted  in  securing  the  stockade,  &c.,  and 
returned. 

21st.  —  Mr.  Bradshaw  arrived  about  ten  o'clock  at 
night,  with  a  boat  loaded  with  provisions  ;  likewise  Mr. 
Devoire  and  Mr.  Le  Bere  arrived  on  their  way  into  the 
Indian  country.  Mr.  Le  Bere  intends  spending  a  few 


80  MILITAEY    JOUKNAL    OF 

weeks  in  the  Indian  towns  and  then  return  by  way  of 
Sandusky,  to  join  his  company  at  Muskingum. 

24th. — This  night  the  five  Shawanee  hostages  deserted 
from  their  lodging,  and  pushed  with  great  expedition 
toward  the  towns.  They  likewise  took  with  them  Mr. 
Sufferins'  family,  who  were  encamped  about  a  mile  dis- 
tant— Mr.  Sufferins  being  absent  on  a  hunting  party. 

2oth.  —  Our  interpreter,  Mr.  Sufferins,  came  in  ;  very 
much  surprised  at  finding  his  people  had  gone  off,  and 
still  more  when  hearing  how  the  hostages  had  left  us. 
This  day  we  completed  a  block-house  on  the  bank,  to 
guard  the  boats. 

26th.  —  Mr.  Sufferins  set  off  on  purpose  to  overtake 
his  family  and  the  hostages,  if  possible,  and  to  know  the 
reason  of  elopement.  But  after  riding  twenty  miles, 
only  arrived  at  the  place  where  they  lay  the  night  before. 
The  distance  he  thought  they  might  be  in  front  of  him, 
at  the  rate  they  had  gone,  discouraged  him  from  pursu- 
ing any  farther,  and  he  turned  back  with  the  intention 
of  preparing  to  go  to  their  towns. 

27th. — We  were  surprised  by  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Abner 
Dunn,  an  old  officer,  who  had  been  to  the  Shawanee 
towns.  lie  arrived  with  five  Indians  (Shawanees)  and 
six  white  prisoners.  Mr.  Dunn  informed  us  that  their 
chief,  with  the  six  prisoners,  had  halted  about  five  miles 
off,  being  doubtful  of  the  manner  in  which  they  would 
be  received,  having  the  night  before  sent  two  runners 
with  some  tobacco  for  us  to  smoke  until  their  arrival, 
and  to  get  leave  for  their  friends,  the  hostages,  to  go  and 
meet  them ;  but  when  the  runners  came  and  could  see 


MAJOE    EBENEZER    DENNY.  81 

no  hostages  they  retired  undiscovered,  and  informed  their 
people,  which  alarmed  them ;  however,  Mr.  Dunn  pre- 
vailed on  five  of  them  to  go  in  with  him  and  the  others 
to  remain  until  he  would  send  for  them.  The  Indians 
soon  found  us  to  be  friends,  and  sent  for  the  remaining 
party.  After  they  had  all  arrived,  the  White-Horn, 
their  chief,  seemed  much  astonished  at  the  conduct  of  the 
hostages.  Two  speeches  were  delivered  by  Johnny  Har- 
ris from  Molunthy,  their  king ;  one  of  them  consisted  of 
professions  of  friendship,  &c.,  the  other  was  information 
respecting  some  parties  of  Cherokees  that  were  out. 

30^. — Major  Finney  delivered  a  speech  to  the  Indians 
and  sent  a  message  to  their  king,  thanking  him  for  his 
information  respecting  the  Cherokees,  after  which  they 
marched  off.  The  night  preceding,  a  girl  and  boy  of  the 
prisoners  that  were  delivered  up  yesterday,  eloped. 

31st. —  This  night  Corporal  Thompson  and  John  Geary 
deserted,  and  took  off  one  of  our  best  boats. 

April  1st.  —  Sergeant  Wilcox  pursued  the  deserters. 

2d.  —  Captain  O'Hara  and  Mr.  Smith  left  us  for  Fort 
Pitt. 

4ih. — Mr.  Dunn  took  leave  for  the  Falls. 

Copy  of  a  Letter  to  Colonel  Harmar,  dated  31s£  March,  1786. 

SIR  —  The  Shawanees  have  been  very  slow  in  executing  their  business 

respecting  the  delivery  of  the  prisoners.    They  overstayed  the  time  agreed 

on  better  than  a  month ;  their  delay,  and  an  account  from  the  station  a 

•  few  miles  below  (since  evacuated),  of  five  Indians  attacking  two  men  of 

the  place,  killing  one  and  wounding  the  other,  we  suppose  frightened  off 

the  hostages ;  for  on  the  night  of  the  24th  of  March  the  whole  of  them 

eloped,  and  we  have  not  heard  from  them  since.     But  fortunately,  two 

6 


82  MILITAEY    JOURNAL    OF 

days  after  there  came  in  two  chiefs  with  six  prisoners,  whom  they  deliver- 
ed up,  with  a  speech  from  their  king  apologizing  for  the  delay,  &c.  We 
don't  apprehend  any  danger  from  the  Shawanees  immediately,  but  there 
is  now  a  number  of  others  in  the  woods  for  war,  that  makes  our  situation 
rather  unsafe.  They  have  killed  at  Limestone  and  near  the  Falls  —  the 
last  which  I  have  mentioned  above,  was  about  four  miles  distant. 

Captain  O'Hara  arrived  here  on  the  26th  of  February  with  the  ar- 
rearages of  pay  and  clothing  for  the  men  who  were  in  service  last  year ; 
in  six  months  notes  and  two  months  for  the  present  in  cash,  and  the  same 
with  six  months  subsistence  for  the  officers.  He  brought  with  him  a 
pretty  assortment  of  goods  suitable  for  the  soldiers,  which  he  let  them 
have  at  reasonable  prices.  I  believe  he  will  take  back  all  the  notes  and 
cash  (which  are  the  same  to  him),  except  what  the  officers  received.  I 
mentioned  in  a  letter  some  months  ago  that  the  commissioners  had  made 
a  compliment  to  Major  Finney  of  cloth  for  over-alls  for  the  men.  Since, 
there  has  some  alteration  happened  or  otherwise  it  was  a  mistake  in  me, 
for  as  they  went  up  the  river  they  met  Captain  O'Hara  near  the  Great 
Kanahwa,  and  turned  the  account  over  to  him.  He  has  charged  each  man 
that  had  them  with  his  price. 

There  was  a  letter  received  from  Mr.  Armstrong,  (to  which  he  put  his 
title,  Lieut.  1st  A.  R.)  for  the  purpose  of  acquainting  us  of  his  promotion. 

Colonel — as  I  stand  next  on  the  list,  am  induced  to  beg  your  interest  to 
fix  me  clear  of  the  censure  of  a  number  of  my  friends.  For  certain  it  is 
that  I  have  in  some  measure  lessened,  having  once  served  as  an  officer  a 
grade  higher,  and  that  at  a  more  honorable  time  than  at  present.  But 
the  attachment  I  have  to  a  military  life,  and  the  expectation  of  rising, 
persuades  me  to  this  duty,  hoping  that  my  friends,  yourself  in  particular, 
will  assist  me  in  procuring  a  lieutenancy — what  I  once  had  the  honor  to 
hold  under  you. 

I  shall  ever  endeavor  to  render  satisfaction  for  your  assistance  in  this 
V€ry  material  affair,  as  well  as  for  many  past. 

While  I  have  the  honor  to  subscribe  myself,  &c. 

E.  D. 
N.  B.  Sent  a  return  of  the  troops  with  the  above. 

23d.  —  Captain  Blue- Jacket,  a  chief  of  the  Shawa- 


MAJOR    EBENEZEK    DENNY.  83 

nee  nation,  came  in.  He  informed  us  of  the  good  in- 
tentions of  his  people,  and  that  a  number  of  them 
would  hunt  this  summer  near  this  place,  and  would 
bring  in  the  skins ;  begged  that  we  would  receive  the 
Shawanees  friendly.  As  a  proof  of  his  friendship,  and 
that  we  might  be  assured  the  nation  wished  for  peace,  he 
left  his  son,  a  boy  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  to  con- 
tinue with  us  until  some  opportunity  would  offer  for 
sending  him  home. 

24th. — He  took  leave,  and  as  he  went  off  said  he  would 
go  by  a  hunting  camp  where  there  were  a  number  of  In- 
dians, and  inform  them  how  desirous  we  were  to  see  them 
come  in  to  trade. 

25th.  —  In  the  evening  there  arrived  two  young  war- 
riors of  the  Shawanees,  with  a  white  boy,  a  prisoner, 
whom  they  delivered  up  to  us ;  and  after  receiving  a  few 
presents,  and  being  asked  if  they  did  not  think  the  boy 
would  run  back  again,  they  candidly  told  us,  that  he  cer- 
tainly would,  if  not  bound  or  confined  some  way.  This 
was  enough.  Though  the  boy  seemed  fond  of  having  it 
in  his  power  to  go  to  his  father's,  but  yet  it  was  all  affect- 
ed ;  for  in  a  few  hours  after  a  boat  came  along,  bound 
for  the  Falls,  in  which  he  was  put,  and  in  a  manner  by 
force ;  for  when  he  found  there  was  no  way  of  escaping 
he  cried,  and  appeared  to  leave  the  Indian  with  more  re- 
gret than  he  could  have  done  if  they  had  been  bearing 
him  away  a  prisoner  from  his  mother. 

2Qth. — Our  friends,  the  warriors,  left  us,  and  took  with 
them  Blue-Jacket's  son. 

May  ~L4ith.  —  We  have  Shawanees  with  us  every  day. 


84  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

The  most  of  their  hunting  men  are  now  in  the  woods 
around  us,  at  the  distance  of  twenty  miles.  They  intend 
bringing  their  peltry  to  barter  at  this  place.  Several  of 
the  boys,  and  even  one  young  woman  of  the  prisoners, 
made  their  escape  and  returned  to  the  Indians.  The 
chiefs  who  have  been  in,  particularly  the  White-Horn, 
say  they  never  mean  to  break  the  chain  of  friendship 
that  now  subsists  between  the  Americans  and  them,  and 
threaten  vengeance  upon  the  first  who  infringes  upon  the 
articles  of  the  treaty. 

18th. — From  a  letter  sent  by  Major  Finney  to  the 
commanding  officer  at  Fort  M'Intosh,  requesting  a  rein- 
forcement of  men  at  this  post,  and  from  several  late  re- 
ports of  troops  being  on  their  way  to  us,  we  prepared  a 
small  boat  and  set  out  up  the  river,  intending  to  sail  two 
or  three  hours  for  amusement,  at  the  same  time  thought 
it  probable  we  might  meet  them.  We  had  got  about 
four  miles,  and  halted  at  a  spring,  wThen  we  were  very 
agreeably  surprised  hy  the  arrival  of  Captain  Ziegler's 
company  of  seventy  men — Lieutenant  E.  Beatty,  Doctor 
Allison,  and  the  Major  from  Connecticut,  Wyllys,  com- 
manding. 

22c7. — I  received  orders  to  prepare  to  go  on  command 
to  the  Falls  of  Ohio. 

23d.  —  Set  out  with  sergeant,  corporal  and  twelve  men 
in  a  barge,  for  Louisville.  River  very  full.  Landed 
next  morning  at  the  place — distance  said  to  be  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles— run  it  in  twenty-four  hours.  Four 
Kentucky  boats,  which  passed  Fort  Finney  the  day  be- 
fore I  left  it,  were  attacked  at  the  mouth  of  Kentucky 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  85 

river  by  the  Indians  on  both  sides  of  the  Ohio,  supposed 
to  be  in  number  two  hundred  —  fortunately  no  other 
damage  than  a  few  horses  killed.  Very  alarming  ac- 
counts of  the  depredations  of  Indians  in  neighborhood  of 
Yincennes  —  a  settlement  on  the  Wabash.  Every  day 
fresh  accounts  of  mischief  done  in  the  upper  counties 
and  on  Cumberland.  People  of  Kentucky  talk  of  an  ex- 
pedition against  the  Indians  on  the  Wabash.  Four 
days  I  remained  at  the  Falls,  and  every  day  there  were 
accounts  of  men  being  scalped  between  that  and  the 
upper  counties.  General  Clark  informed  me  that  he 
had  frequent  intelligence  from  the  different  posts  on  the 
Mississippi  and  Wabash,  which  he  took  from  the  British 
last  war,  and  that  if  something  was  not  done  immediate- 
ly respecting  that  country,  there  will  be  much  more  diffi- 
culty in  subjecting  them  than  there  ever  was. 

After  many  altercations  between  General  Clark,  my- 
self and  the  two  gentlemen  who  had  the  artillery  in 
charge,  they  agreed  I  should  have  a  piece,  with  a  few 
shot,  which  I  immediately  had  put  on  board. 

28^. — Having  procured  a  brass  three-pounder,  with  a 
few  boxes  of  suitable  shot,  left  the  Falls ;  embarked 
again  for  our  Fort.  River  very  high,  and  obliged  to 
work  up  close  along  shore,  giving  the  savages  every  pos- 
sible advantage.  This  evening,  about  seventeen  miles 
up,  we  discovered  two  bark  canoes  lying  on  the  bank, 
and  a  number  of  trees  barked,  which  we  supposed  had 
not  been  done  longer  than  two  days.  We  passed  on 
as  silent  as  possible.  This  night  our  cable  and  anchor 


86  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

served  to  keep  us  in  the  middle  of  the  river ;  but  the 
river  rose  so  high  it  was  of  no  more  use  afterward. 

SQth. —  About  a  mile  below  Kentuck  we  discovered 
some  appearance  of  an  Indian  camp,  and  saw  a  black 
horse  with  a  belt  on.  We  passed  the  mouth  of  Kentuck 
in  the  night,  and  lay  near  a  mile  above. 

Slst.  —  We  met  with  such  strong  water  below  and 
above  the  Big  Bone,  that  we  were  obliged  to  drop  the 
oars  (though  we  worked  fourteen,)  and  pull  up  by  the 
bushes  ;  lay  this  night  five  or  six  miles  above  Big  Bone. 
We  arrived  safe  at  the  Fort,  near  the  Miami,  in  the  af- 
ternoon, and  were  received  with  gladness. 

June  1st.  —  Several  Delawares  came  in,  wrho  seemed 
surprised  at  the  field-piece  which  I  lately  brought  from 
the  Falls,  and  at  our  additions  to  the  Fort. 

\\th. — Captain  Pipe's  brother,  with  three  other  Del- 
awares, arrived  with  a  speech  from  Pipe,  the  purport 
of  which  was,  that  he  hoped  we  still  held  the  chain  of 
friendship  fast,  that  was  made  between  them  and  us,  at 
this  place,  and  informing  us,  that  for  his  part,  nothing- 
should  be  wanting  which  was  in  his  power  to  keep  the 
Delawares  and  the  Americans  upon  the  most  friendly 
footing,  and  begging  we  would  treat  his  young  men  (a 
number  of  whom  were  hunting  near  us)  as  we  have 
hitherto  done. 

13th.  —  Mr.  Sovereign  came  in  with  the  Shawanees 
with  a  speech  from  Molunthy,  informing  us  that  he  was 
very  glad  to  hear  we  treated  his  young  men  so  friendly, 
and  apologizing  for  the  delay  in  delivering  up  the  pris- 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  87 

oners.  He  says  the  nation  is  divided  ;  that  the  people 
of  Chillicothe  will  not  hear  reason ;  they  will  not  give 
the  prisoners  up.  In  fact,  the  plain  English  of  which  is, 
that  a  party  of  them  are  as  much  inclined  for  war  as 

anything  else,  from  the  d d  lies  imposed  on  them  by 

British  emissaries.  They  are  fully  of  the  opinion  that 
their  king  and  sachems  have  sold  both  land  and  war- 
riors, and  are  determined  not  to  agree  to  what  has  been 
done.  Molunthy  gives  us  information  of  four  men  being 
killed  by  the  Mingoes,  on  the  waters  of  the  Muskingum. 
He  says  that  he  has  advised  the  Mingoes  and  Cherokees 
to  be  quiet,  but  they  would  not  hear  him.  He  desires  us 
to  have  patience.  He  is  striving  all  he  can  to  fulfill  the 
promises  made  to  our  chiefs  at  the  council  fire. 

~L4:th. — Mr.  Sovereign  returned  homeward  Avith  a  speech 
to  Molunthy,  informing  him  that  we  still  kept  the  road 
open,  and  hoped  he  would  soon  send  in  the  prisoners ; 
thanking  him  for  the  intelligence  he  sent,  and  begging 
he  would  endeavor  to  persuade  his  contentious  people  to 
listen  to  reason,  otherwise  the  consequence  would  be 
fatal ;  we  would  wait  with  patience  for  a  time,  until  he 
would  fulfill  the  promises  made  to  our  chief  at  the  great 
council  fire,  &c. 

15th. — Major  Wyllys  left  us  in  a  small  boat  bound  up 
the  river,  with  whom  I  sent  the  following  letter  to 
Colonel  Harmar,  with  an  inspection  return : 

SIR  —  After  the  arrival  of  Major  Wyllys  and  Captain  Ziegler,  I  was 
ordered  to  the  Falls  to  procure  and  bring  up  a  field-piece,  with  ammuni- 
tion, &c.  I  got  a  brass  three-pounder,  with  about  thirty  rounds  only  of 
ball  and  grape-shot.  And  if  it  had  not  been  for  General  Clark,  who  has 


88  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

always  beeii  our  friend  here,  I  should  have  returned  as  I  went,  owing  to 
a  contentious  set  of  men  in  civil  office  there,  all  of  whom  are  candidates 
for  something,  and  were  afraid  would  be  censured  by  the  public  for  giving 
any  of  the  military  stores  away,  at  a  time  when  their  country  is  suffering 
by  savage  depredations.  True  it  is,  that  everywhere  below  us,  the  Amer- 
icans have  as  much  reason  to  be  engaged  in  an  Indian  war  as  they  ever 
had.  They  are  daily  losing  men  in  the  lower  part  of  Kentuck  settlement ; 
all  which  aggravation  could  not  unite  the  people  in  a  sufficient  body  to 
carry  on  any  kind  of  an  expedition — such  is  the  division  amongst  them. 

I  brought  from  the  Falls,  and  delivered  to  Major  Wyllys,  all  the  intel- 
ligence I  could  collect,  amongst  which  are  the  particulars  of  two  skir- 
mishes which  the  Americans  at  St.  Vincent  had  with  the  Piankeshaw 
Indians  in  that  neighborhood. 

Some  Shawanees  and  Delawares  went  with  us  as  usual,  professing  much 
friendship.  The  arrival  of  Captain  Ziegler's  company  has  added  much 
to  the  appearance  of  this  place,  and  something  to  the  other  company. 
For  since,  a  better  spirit  of  emulation  has  subsisted,  which  has  been  of 
service.  Captain  Ziegler  tells  me  the  regimental  book  for  last  year  was 
left  at  M'Intosh,  and  not  used  very  well  by  the  officers  last  winter ;  I  am 
sorry  for  it,  but  hope  you  will  get  it.  My  coming  away  from  that  place  in 
such  haste  occasioned  several  neglects;  I  even  forgot  my  Bible  with  you. 
We  long  to  see  you.  With  respects,  &c.  . 

E.  D. 

26th.  —  Captain  Doyle  arrived  from  M'Intosh;  lie 
informed  us  of  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Harmar  and  lady 
at  M'Intosh. 

July  Ath. — This  day  was  celebrated  with  three  rounds 
of  small  arms  and  three  with  the  field-piece,  after  which 
the  gentlemen  all  dined  together.  When  dinner  was 
over  thirteen  toasts  were  drunk,  each  accompanied  with 
a  round  from  the  three-pounder,  attended  in  the  inter- 
vals by  two  drums,  two  fifes  and  a  couple  of  excellent 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  89 

violins.  The  evening  was  spent  as  well  as  circumstances 
would  allow  of. 

5th. — Captain  Beatty  and  Mr.  M'Dowell  left  us,  hav- 
ing been  ordered,  by  Colonel  Harmar,  to  go  up  imme- 
diately after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Doyle.  With  Mr. 
M'Dowell  I  sent  a  letter  to  Doctor  M'Dowell,  desiring 
him  to  ask  Colonel  Harmar  for  permission  for  me  to  go 
up,  &c. 

13^.  —  Major  Finney  received  a  letter  from  General 
Clark,  informing  him  that  on  the  1st  of  August  he  in- 
tended marching  into  the  Indian  country,  with  fifteen 
hundred  men,  and  requested  that  the  field-piece  which  I 
brought  up  might  be  sent  down  against  that  time. 

17 ih.  —  Corporal  Thompson,  Gairy,  and  two  other  de- 
serters, were  brought  in  by  three  men  from  Lexington, 
by  whom  Major  Finney  received  an  account  from  Col- 
onel Patterson  of  orders  being  arrived  from  the  State  of 
Virginia  to  the  County-Lieutenant  of  Kentucky  country, 
directing  them  to  plan  and  put  into  execution  an  expe- 
dition through  the  Indian  country  immediately.  It  is 
thought  General  Clark  would  command. 

Captain  Armstrong  arrived  with  the  boat  and  men 
which  Major  Wyllys  took  away.  He  brought  a  letter 
from  Colonel  Harmar  to  Major  Finney,  in  which,  there 
was  an  order  to  send  up  Ensign  Denny,  for  the  purpose 
of  acting  as  adjutant  —  to  repair  to  a  new  fort  at  the 
mouth  of  Muskingum,  called  Fort  Harmar,  where  the 
Colonel,  with  Mrs.  Harmar,  had  arrived. 

23d.  —  Embarked  about  noon,  in  a  swift  boat,  with 
corporal  and  six  choice  men ;  rowed  six  oars.  River  in 


90  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

good  order.  Anxious  to  make  a  quick  passage.  Had 
provisions  for  several  days  cooked,  and  boat  fitted  for 
anchoring  in  the  stream,  &c.  Reached  few  miles  above 
Little  Miami. 

24th. — Met  the  water  rising. 

2oth. — Reached  Limestone  about  same  time  of  the  day 
we  left  the  Fort ;  this  is  coming  at  rate  of  forty  miles  a 
day.  Stayed  and  cooked. 

2Qth. — Work  along.     River  risen  five  feet. 

27th.  —  In  the  evening  pass  the  Scioto  river. 

28^. — Within  a  few  miles  of  Sandy.     Water  falling. 

29th. — Pass  Sandy  and  Guyandot. 

30th.  —  Helped  forward  by  a  violent  storm  of  wind 
and  rain,  directly  up  the  river ;  reached  Great  Kanahwa. 

3lst.  —  Lay  by  drying  our  things  and  cooking. 

August  1st. — Got  within  a  few  miles  of  Letart's  Falls. 
Water  rising  rapidly.  Met  Mr.  Le  Bere  in  the  evening. 

2d.  —  Passed  the  Falls  and  anchored  ten  miles  below 
Flin's  Station. 

3d. — Passed  the  Scotch  Settlement  and  Flin's,  and  lay 
in  sight  of  Little  Kanahwa. 

4.th.  —  In  the  morning  arrived  at  Muskingum,  Fort 
Harmar,  where  I  met  with  Colonel  Harmar  and  a 
number  of  acquaintances.  Here  I  was  received  as  a 
brother  officer  might  expect.  Though  I  was  ordered  up 
in  haste,  yet  I  had  some  hopes  of  getting  a  furlough  to 
go  to  Philadelphia,  as  I  had  not  been  absent  during  our 
service.  Having  hinted  in  a  letter  to  Colonel  Harmar,  be- 
fore I  left  the  Miami,  that  a  short  furlough  would  be  very 
acceptable  and  knowing,  that  if  he  could  with  any  kind 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  91 

of  propriety  grant  it,  he  would,  I  deferred  asking.  Next 
day  after  my  arrival  he  proposed  a  furlough ;  I  thanked 
him  and  accepted  it.  But  as  I  had  no  non-commission- 
ed officer  from  the  Miami,  he  thought  it  best  to  send  my 
boat  back  under  the  care  of  Major  North  and  Captain 
Beatty,  just  arrived  and  on  their  way  to  the  Miami,  and 
to  take  a  passage  to  Fort  Pitt  with  Mr.  Bradford,  who 
was  to  start  on  the  10th  instant.  Fort  Harmar  is  un- 
finished. Doughty's  company  from  New  York,  Heart's 
and  Strong's  from  Connecticut,  are  here  and  at  work. 

Major  North  and  E.  Beatty  got  under  way. 
. — Received  a  furlough  for  two  months ;  took  pas- 
sage with  Lieutenant  Bradford,  who  was  ordered  to  Pitt 
for  artillery,  stores,  &c. 

1.6th. — Arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Little  Beaver ;  found 
Mr.  Hutchons  and  the  old  surveyors  encamped  there. 
Hamtramck's  company,  from  New  York  ;  Mercer's,  from 
New  Jersey,  and  M'Curdy's,  of  Pennsylvania,  escorting 
the  surveyors. 

Vlth.  —  Reached  M'Intosh.  Captain  Ferguson's  com- 
pany here.  Here  Mr.  Bradford  had  business,  which 
would  detain  him  a  day.  Major  Finney  and  myself 
having  no  time  to  lose,  agreed  to  walk  to  Fort  Pitt,  thir- 
ty miles  distant,  knowing  that  when  the  boat  did  move, 
it  would  take  her  two  days,  as  the  water  was  very  rapid. 

~L8th.  —  We  breakfasted  with  my  old  friend,  Captain 
M'Curdy,  and  set  off  for  Fort  Pitt.  I  tripped  along 
after  Major  Finney  exceedingly  well,  for  near  two-thirds 
of  the  way ;  but  having  been  confined  so  long  to  my 
boat,  and  not  accustomed  to  walking,  I  got  much 


92  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

fatigued;  however,  we  reached  Fort  Pitt  about  two 
o'clock,  P.  M.,  where  we  refreshed  ourselves  upon  a  tol- 
erable dinner  and  a  glass  of  claret. 

August  22d.  —  I  received  my  mare,  left  in  care  of  Mr. 
Duncan,  in  miserable  order. 

23d.  —  Left  Fort  Pitt  in  company  with  Mr.  James 
Sample.  The  weather  being  favorable,  we  traveled  very 
agreeably  together  as  far  as  Shippensburg,  where  we  ar- 
rived on  the  28th. 

29th. — I  got  to  Carlisle.  Time  short — staid  a  few  days. 
Left  Carlisle  for  Philadelphia,  at  which  place  I  arrived 
on  the  8th  September. 

Sept.  12th. —  Having  completed  my  business,  I  parted 
with  my  friends,  James  Campbell  and  several  other  ac- 
quaintances, and  left  Philadelphia,  with  once  more  my 
face  turned  toward  the  western  country. 

13^.— Got  to  Carlisle. 

20th. — Left  my  friends  at  Carlisle. 

25th.  —  Arrived  at  my  uncle,  John  M'Clure's,  on  the 
Monongahela,  seven  miles  above  Pittsburgh,  where  I 
left  my  mare,  saddle  and  bridle,  for  further  use. 

2Qth.  -  -  Went  in  canoe  to  Pittsburgh,  where  I  met 
Major  North  and  Captain  Beatty,  just  arrived  from  the 
Falls  of  Ohio,  where  they  left  Major  Finney  and  Captain 
Ziegler  with  their  companies. 

3Qth.  —  Left  Fort  Pitt  in  the  boat  in  which  North  and 
Beatty  came,  and  proceeded  to  Muskingum,  at  which 
place  I  arrived  the  3d  of  October,  in  the  morning. 

FORT  HARMAR,  Oct.  3d.  —  John  Pratt,  formerly  Lieu- 
tenant and  Quarter-master  in  the  4th  Pennsylvania  reg- 


MAJOR    EBENEZEK,    DENNY.  93 

iment,  had  originally  been  of  Connecticut,  came  out  now 
as  one  of  the  officers  of  that  State,  and  appointed  Quar- 
ter-master, myself  announced  as  adjutant.  Strong,  Pratt 
and  Kingsbury  belonged  to  one  company  and  formed  a 
mess ;  I  was  invited  to  join  them.  Yery  pleasantly  fixed. 

1.0th.  — •  Captain  Doughty  and  Captain*  Strong  left  us 
with  leave  of  absence  until  spring. 

~L5th.  —  Captain  Tunas,  a  Delaware  Indian,  arrived 
with  information  that  the  different  nations  of  Indians 
from  the  Wabash,  who  had  collected  at  the  Shawanees 
towns  with  a  determination  to  visit  this  country,  had 
returned  home ;  that  one  hundred  and  twenty  Shawanees, 
Mingoes  and  Cherokees  had  left  "Wapotomeky  with  in- 
tention to  strike  the  people  on  the  Ohio ;  that  but  few  of 
the  Shawanees  continued ;  the  greater  part  of  them  were 
in  the  Kentucky  country,  scalping  and  stealing  horses. 
He  says  Captain  Brant,  a  civilized  Indian,  had  been  at 
Sandusky  this  summer,  but  his  business  was  not  known. 
Mr.  Johnston,  the  British  agent,  had  asked  all  the  red 
people  to  Niagara;  that  the  Shawanees  and  a  number 
of  other  nations  had  gone,  but  not  any  of  the  Delawares  ; 
that  Johnston  told  them  they  would  be  no  people  in  a 
short  time,  if  they  did  not  unite.  They  should  all  be 
one  people,  and  what  they  did,  either  to  make  peace  or 
war,  would  then  be  strong. 

Nov.  13tk.  —  Three  men  arrived  from  Limestone,  who 
had  been  with  Colonel  Logan  against  the  Shawanee 
towns.  They  informed  us  that  Logan  left  Limestone  the 
6th  of  October,  marched  with  eight  hundred  men  in  six 
days,  to  the  Shawanee  towns,  where  he  found  some  men 


94  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

and  a  number  of  women.  The  warriors  had  all  set  out 
to  meet  General  Clark,  who  was  marching  with  fifteen 
hundred  men  toward  the  Wabash,  and  only  a  few 
sachems  remained  at  home  with  the  squaws.  Colonel 
Logan  destroyed  all  their  towns,  killed  and  scalped  eleven 
Indians,  amongst  whom  was  the  king  Molunthy,  and 
carried  twenty-eight  Indian  women  and  children  pris- 
oners to  Danville,  where  they  were  kept  in  confinement. 
The  old  king  was  tomahawked  after  he  had  delivered 
himself  up.  Logan  found  none  but  old  men,  women  and 
children  in  the  towns ;  they  made  no  resistance ;  the 
men  were  literally  murdered. 

~L5th.  —  Left  Fort  Harmar  in  a  light  boat,  a  sergeant 
and  twelve  men  ;  arrived  at  Fort  Pitt  the  22d. 

24^7*. —  Rode  to  Hannahstown,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Brison.  Viewed  several  farms  and  tracts  of  land  in  West- 
moreland county,  belonging  to  Colonel  Harmar,  property 
which  he  got  with  Mrs.  H. 

Dec.  5th. — Was  ready  to  return,  but  the  heavy  snows 
and  frost  had  filled  the  river  with  ice. 

9th. — Ohio  frozen  over  in  many  places.  Monongahela 
and  Allegheny  both  passable  on  the  ice. 

13^. — Had  several  days  of  soft  rainy  weather.  Rivers 
broke  up.  The  rise  of  water  was  sudden.  Several  boats 
loaded  with  goods,  &c.,  carried  down  with  the  ice  passed 
Pittsburgh.  An  attempt  made  to  save  them,  but  fruit- 
less. We  had  great  difficulty  to  preserve  our  boat. 

16^. — Ohio  pretty  clear  of  ice.  Loaded  our  boat  and 
sailed  for  Fort  Harmar,  where  we  arrived  on  the  19th, 
in  the  morning.  In  my  absence,  Lieutenant  Pratt,  the 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  95 

Quarter-master,  attended  to  the  ordinary  duties  of  ad- 
jutant, but  much  left  undone.  Regimental  book  opened, 
monthly  returns  of  the  regiment,  &c.,  to  be  made  out 
and  transmitted  to  the  War  Office. 

FOET  HARMAK,  Mouth  of  Muskingum  River,  Jan.,  1787. 
— No  change  of  movement  of  any  consequence.  Officers 
and  men  in  close  quarters.  Officers  pass  and  repass  up 
and  down  to  the  several  posts.  Ferguson's  company  of 
artillery  at  M'Intosh.  Hamtramck,  M'Curdy  and  Mer- 
cer had  put  up  quarters,  after  the  surveying  was  over, 
at  a  place  which  they  called  Fort  Steuben,  about  thirty 
miles  below  M'Intosh.  Doughty,  Strong  and  Heart  with 
their  companies  at  Fort  Harmar.  Finney  and  Ziegler's 
companies  had  evacuated  Fort  Finney  and  erected  a 
small  work  opposite  Louisville.  One  other  company, 
commanded  by  Captain  Burbeck,  of  New  York,  station- 
ed at  West  Point. 

Receiving  and  digesting  the  monthly  returns  of  the 
troops  at  all  these  different  posts,  was  a  business  of  some 
trouble.  Those  from  the  post  commanded  by  Ham- 
tramck less  difficulty  with.  Colonel  Harmar  thinks 
him  one  of  his  best  captains. 

Feb.  4:th.  —  Mr.  M'Dowell  arrived  on  his  way  to  the 
Rapids  of  the  Ohio.  Fortunately  there  came  with  him 
a  supply  of  provisions  for  the  troops  at  Fort  Harmar. 
For  upward  of  thirty  days  past  they  had  been  on  half 
allowance  of  flour,  with  whiskey  only  one-half  their  time. 

8^.— Major  Wyllys  and  Mr.  M'Dowell  left  us  for  the 
Rapids. 


96  MILITAEY    JOUENAL    OF 


.  —  Captain  Heart  and  Lieutenant  Beatty  ar- 
rived from  Fort  Pitt.  The  latter  brought  with  him  near 
two  months  pay  and  three  months  subsistence,  chiefly  in 
paper  money,  and  likewise  part  of  the  annual  allowance 
of  clothing  for  the  troops.  The  money  being  a  particu- 
lar currency  of  one  State  only,  the  officers  at  this  post 
(Fort  Harmar)  objected  to  receiving  it;  for  though  it 
might  answer  their  present  purposes,  being  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  State,  yet  it  might  be  setting  a  precedent 
for  others,  which  would  be  very  injurious.  Several  days 
spent  in  deliberating  upon  the  receiving  this  paper 
money.  Sometimes  it  was  in  contemplation  to  send  it 
back  ;  again  they  would  conceive  it  more  to  their  advan- 
tage to  keep  it.  However,  as  the  Colonel  had  some  bu- 
siness up  the  river,  he  postponed  the  payment  until  (we 
suppose)  he  would  consult  the  officers  up  the  river.  Ac- 
cordingly he,  Beatty,  Pratt  and  Mr.  Spear  set  off  the 
forenoon  of  the  25th. 

2oth.  —  This  afternoon  we  were  agreeably  surprised  by 
the  arrival  of  Major  Finney  from  the  Rapids,  after  a 
passage  of  seventeen  days  to  this  post.  The  Major  be- 
ing on  the  way  to  visit  friends  down  the  country,  he  only 
tarried  until  next  morning  and  set  off  up  the  river  in 
hopes  to  overtake  Colonel  Harmar. 

March  6th.  —  Mr.  Lakesang  called,  being  on  his  way  to 
the  Rapids  of  the  Ohio.  He  continued  over  night.  By 
Mr.  Lakesang  I  forwarded  to  Major  Wyllys  three  hun- 
dred hard  dollars,  and  a  receipt  for  thirteen  hundred 
dollars,  left  with  me  by  Beatty  to  be  sent  by  the  first 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  97 

conveyance  (Captain  Heart  witness).  By  the  same  boat, 
and  under  Mr.  Lakesang's  care,  I  sent  the  proportion  of 
clothing  for  the  troops  at  the  Rapids,  and  likewise  a  new 
rifle,  complete,  for  Lieutenant  Doyle,  with  a  number  of 
letters,  &c. 

26th. —  Our  commandant,  with  his  suite,  arrived  from 
Fort  Pitt,  about  seven  o'clock  at  night,  and  disappoint- 
ed the  garrison  of  a  little  parade  that  was  intended  in 
receiving  him. 

27th.  —  Major  Hamtramck  arrived,  having  been  di- 
rected by  the  commandant  to  muster  the  troops. 

29th.  —  Muster  and  inspection  took  place,  after  which 
a  few  manoeuvres,  &c. 

April  1st. — The  Major  left  us,  bound  for  Fort  Steuben. 

10th. — Captain  Heart  ordered  to  proceed  with  his  com- 
pany to  a  place  called  Venango,  on  the  Allegheny  river, 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  above  Pittsburgh ; 
there  to  erect  a  suitable  work.  This  place  had  formerly 
been  occupied  by  French  and  English  troops,  but  burnt 
down. 

~L5th. — Colonel  Harmar,  Lieutenant  Beatty  and  Pratt, 
left  us,  bound  for  the  Rapids.  Soon  after  their  depar- 
ture, Major  Hamtramck  arrived,  having  been  ordered 
down  to  command  at  Muskingum,  owing  to  the  Colonel's 
absence. 

May  10th.  —  At  night  our  Colonel  arrived  from  the 
Rapids  of  the  Ohio,  to  no  little  satisfaction  of  all  the 
officers  at  Fort  Harmar. 

15th.  —  Major  Hamtramck  set  off,  accompanied  by 
Captain  Beatty,  for  Fort  Steuben.  Captain  Beatty  goes 
7 


98  MILITAEY    JOURNAL    OF 

on  to  New  York  to  obtain  a  settlement  for  the  regiment 
up  to  the  first  of  the  present  year. 

17^. — We  were  surprised  with  the  arrival  of  Captain 
Strong,  from  Connecticut,  with  dispatches  of  very  con- 
siderable importance  to  Colonel  Harmar,  from  the  War 
Office. 

25th.  —  In  consequence  of  the  dispatches  brought  by 
Captain  Strong,  Fort  Steuben  has  been  ordered  to  be 
evacuated;  accordingly  Lieutenant  Kersey,  with  sixty 
men,  arrived  here  from  that  place.  Major  Hamtramck, 
with  the  remainder  of  the  troops,  are  expected  daily. 
Hamtramck  promoted  to  Major,  in  room  of  Fish  of 
New  York,  who  resigned.  Lieutenant  Smith,  captain  in 
place  of  Hamtramck. 

27th.  —  Captain  Strong,  with  his  company,  embarked 
on  board  keel  boats  for  the  Rapids  of  the  Ohio. 

June  1st.  —  Major  Hamtramck,  with  the  whole  of  the 
troops  under  his  command,  arrived  safe. 

2d.  —  Captain  Mercer,  with  part  of  his  company,  and 
Lieutenant  Kersey,  set  oif  for  the  Rapids,  on  board  two 
family  boats  that  were  passing  down.  Ensign  Spear, 
with  fifty-four  men,  left  us  this  day  for  the  surveying 
business. 

5th.  —  Captain  Smith,  with  his  company,  Ensign  Se- 
dam,  with  part  of  Mercer's  company,  Lieutenant  Peters, 
Doctor  Elliot  and  myself,  left  Fort  Harmar  to  join  the 
troops  at  the  Rapids. 

10th.  —  In  the  morning  we  joined  our  friends  at  the 
Falls. 

11th. — Our  commandant,  with  Major  Hamtramck  and 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  99 

Mr.  Pratt,  the  Quarter-master,  &c.,  arrived  in  the  barge. 
They  bring  accounts  that  Colonel  Todd  had  returned 
from  the  Cherokee  town  on  Paint  creek,  with  three  or 
four  scalps  and  six  or  seven  prisoners. 

18^. — Water  favorable.  We  began  to  send  our  boats 
and  stores  over  the  Rapids,  for  fear  of  low  water.  Sub- 
altern's command  at  landing  below  the  Rapids  as  guard. 
Troops  wait  for  a  supply  of  provisions.  Some  clashing 
between  contractors.  Turn  bull  and  Marmie  superseded 
by  O'Hara  and  Duncan.  When  Bradshaw  the  agent  is 
at  a  loss,  commanding  officer  directs  the  purchase  of 
provisions. 

July  2d.  —  Strong's,  Mercer's  and  Smith's  companies 
cross  the  Ohio  from  their  encampment  opposite  Louisville, 
march  down  and  encamp  at  the  landing  below  the  Falls. 

3d.  —  Finney's  and  Ziegler's  companies  crossed  and 
encamped  with  the  others.  This  evening  Ferguson, 
with  his  company  of  artillery,  from  M'Intosh,  and  Dan- 
iel Britt,  with  a  cargo  of  provisions  on  account  of  late 
contractors,  arrived. 

6ih.  —  Captain  Ziegler,  with  a  command  of  a  lieuten- 
ant, one  sergeant,  one  corporal  and  sixty-two  privates, 
embarked  with  all  the  cattle  and  horses  and  a  quantity 
of  flour,  on  board  eight  Kentucky  boats  and  two  keel 
boats,  with  orders  to  proceed  down  to  Pigeon  creek,  eight 
miles  above  Green  river,  and  there  wait  for  the  arrival 
of  the  troops. 

8th. — Troops  embarked  for  Pigeon  creek,  one  hundred 
and  eighty  miles  below  the  Rapids. 

Wth. — Arrived  in  the  evening  at  Pigeon  creek,  where 


100  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

we  found  Captain  Ziegler,  who  had  arrived  the  evening 
before. 

H^._The  cattle,  horses  and  necessary  baggage,  with 
fifteen  days  flour,  taken  out  of  the  boats,  and  the  boats, 
with  artillery,  stores  and  heavy  baggage,  under  com- 
mand of  Major  Hamtramck,  proceeded  down  the  Ohio 
to  mouth  of  Wabash,  with  orders  to  ascend  that  river  and 
meet  the  troops  as  soon  as  possible  at  Vincennes.  Troops 
took  up  the  following  order  of  march,  (see  Plan,)  and 
proceeded  by  the  most  direct  route  for  Vincennes,  agree- 
ably to  the  advice  of  a  pilot.  Columns  regulated  in  their 
march  by  signals  from  the  drum.  Weather  exceedingly 
warm  and  woods  close.  With  heavy  packs  and  not  late- 
ly used  to  marching,  the  troops  were  hard  put  to.  We 
encamped  on  a  branch  of  Pigeon  creek. 

12th.  —  Marched  at  daylight.  Woods  not  so  thick. 
Crossed  Pigeon  creek  twice,  and  encamped  on  its  bank. 

13th. — The  troops  march  with  more  ease — pass  through 
a  level  open  country.  Buffalo  numerous  in  these  woods. 
Several  seen  standing  and  gazing  at  the  men,  appearing 
to  hearken  to  the  drums.  Encamped  on  the  head  waters 
of  Pigeon  creek. 

l^th. — Marched  at  the  usual  time.  Fine  open  country 
until  about  twelve  o'clock,  intercepted  by  a  thicket  of 
plum  and  rose  bushes,  which  our  pilot  said  reached  to  a 
great  distance  on  the  right  and  left.  Opened  our  way 
through.  Some  delay  and  disorder.  Columns  unable  to 
keep  their  proper  distances.  Cattle  scattered.  Halted 
until  the  cattle  were  collected.  Moved  on  and  encamped 
on  bank  of  Patoka. 


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MAJOE    EBENEZEE    DENNY.  101 

15th. —  Heavy  rain  over  night.  Waited  till  twelve 
o'clock.  Got  on  tolerably  well  considering  our  tents  be- 
ing very  heavy  with  the  rain.  Encamped  on  high  ground 
near  a  branch  of  Patoka. 

16th. —  Marched  at  daylight.  Passed  through  a  very 
fine  rich  open  country,  and  arrived  at  White  river  about 
twelve :  forded,  breast  high  upon  the  men.  Proceeded 
to  the  river  De  Shay,  and  encamped. 

17th.  —  Took  up  the  order  of  march,  not  until  nine 
o'clock  ;  moved  on  near  to  Vincennes.  Met  by  some  of 
the  inhabitants.  Halted  and  formed  battalion,  marched 
into  the  village  with  colors,  &c.,  and  encamped  close  to 
the  American  fort,  Clark's  block-house. 

ISth.  —  Moved  our  encampment  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  up  the  Wabash,  for  the  sake  of  good  water.  Here 
we  found  a  number  of  Cherokee  Indians,  who  had  fled 
to  the  French  for  refuge.  The  people  on  Cumberland, 
joined  by  the  Chickasaws,  had  lately  made  an  expedi- 
tion to  their  towns  and  totally  defeated  them.  The 
Cherokees  were  very  shy  of  us,  but  being  told  by  the 
French  that  we  intended  no  hostilities,  they  rejoiced ; 
were  thankful  and  claimed  protection. 

2lst.  —  The  French  inhabitants  prepared  and  treated 
the  officers  to  a  very  pretty  entertainment. 

25th.  —  This  day  Major  Hamtramck,  with  the  boats 
and  baggage,  arrived  safe,  excepting  some  few  articles 
which  could  not  be  brought  on,  owing  to  the  water  being 
so  shoal,  and  were  left  at  the  mouth  of  Wabash,  guarded 
by  Ensign  Sedam  and  a  small  party  of  troops.  This 
was  a  pleasant  sight  to  us,  as  on  leaving  the  boats  we 


\RY 

UNIVER.-  >f  CALIFO 

SANTA  BARBARA 


102 

had  divested  ourselves  of  everything  not  indispensably 
necessary.  The  six  companies  having  now  all  assembled, 
they  made  a  handsome  parade.  Men  well  clothed  and 
well  disciplined.  The  order  and  regularity  observed 
gave  the  people  of  Vincennes  a  very  favorable  opinion  of 
us.  Our  little  camp,  formed  agreeably,  in  every  respect, 
to  the  regulations,  with  the  company  of  artillery  divided 
on  the  right  and  left ;  tents  new,  &c.,  made  no  indifferent 
show.  The  inhabitants  of  Vincennes  all  French,  except 
a  few  Americans,  who  found  their  way  here  since  the 
war ;  but  few  speak  English.  Had  on  several  occasions 
been  visited  by  militia  from  Kentucky,  who  rather 
served  to  alienate  and  estrange  them.  They  viewed  us 
as  belonging  to  another  nation ;  called  us  the  real  Amer- 
icans. 

26th.  —  Lieutenant  Armstrong  and  forty-five  privates 
were  detached  with  craft,  to  join  Ensign  Sedam,  and  as- 
sist in  bringing  up  the  whole  of  the  stores  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Wabash. 

27 ill.  —  Several  persons  came  in  who  had  been  with  a 
party  that  were  defeated  coming  up  the  Wabash.  They 
informed  us  that  the  day  before,  just  at  the  Grand 
Rapids,  a  party  of  Indians,  about  fifteen  in  number,  at- 
tacked three  perogues,  killed  three  men  and  took  four 
prisoners,  two  of  whom  were  French,  who  were  liberated 
immediately.  Among  the  killed  was  a  soldier  of  Cap- 
tain Ziegler's  company.  One  of  those  who  made  their  es- 
cape, informed  us  that  Daniel  Britt,  with  whom  we  had 
left  six  soldiers  at  the  Falls  (to  help  him  on,  expecting 
he  would  overtake  our  fleet  before  it  would  get  to  the 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  103 

Wabash),  had  passed  the  Wabash  unknowingly,  and  was 
as  low  down  as  Cherokee  river;  that  two  of  the  sol- 
diers had  come  up  from  the  boat  in  a  canoe,  and  being 
satisfied  of  the  mistake,  returned.  Craft  has  been  sent 
for  Britt's  cargo,  and  is  supposed  will  proceed  until  they 
find  him. 

28th. — Two  large  canoes  bearing  white  flags,  appeared 
coining  down  the  Wabash ;  they  proved  to  be  Pianke- 
shaws,  who  inhabit  the  upper  waters.  Had  been  invited 
by  Colonel  Le  Gras  to  come  and  see  their  friends  the 
true  Americans.  Mr.  Le  Gras  appears  to  be  the  chief 
magistrate  here ;  sort  of  little  governor  among  the 
French  ;  is  looked  up  to,  and  has  great  influence  among 
the  neighboring  Indians.  The  Piankeshaws  were  timor- 
ous, having  considered  the  Americans  as  their  enemies. 
Indeed  it  was  but  last  year  that  a  formidable  expedition 
went  from  Kentucky  against  their  towns  (but  the  princi- 
pal officers,  jealous  of  Clark,  wTho  had  the  command, 
excited  a  dissatisfaction  among  the  corps,  and  when 
within  a  day  or  two's  march  of  the  Indians,  broke  up 
their  camp  and  returned  home).  Some  pains  taken  to 
conciliate  and  dispel  their  fear.  They  seemed  to  rejoice 
at  their  reception,  expressed  great  satisfaction ;  said  we 
were  different  Americans  from  any  they  had  seen.  They 
presented  Colonel  Harmar  with  an  elegant  calumet,  and 
departed,  intending  to  return  and  bring  with  them  all 
the  chiefs  of  the  Wabash  nation. 

Aug.  4th.  —  A  Mr.  Vigo,  a  gentleman  of  Post  Vin- 
cennes,  gave  the  officers  of  our  corps  an  entertainment. 
In  the  evening  three  Indian  men  came  in,  who  had 


MILITARY    JOURNAL    OP 

been  down  the  Wabash  with  Lieutenant  Armstrong. 
They  brought  information  that  forty  Piankeshaws  were 
lying  in  wait,  at  the  Grand  Rapids,  for  Lieutenant 
Armstrong's  fleet;  in  consequence  of  which  informa- 
tion, Major  Hamtramck,  with  a  captain,  one  subaltern 
and  fifty-eight  men,  set  out  in  three  keel  boats  to  meet 
the  fleet. 

5^. — The  whole  of  our  boat  stores  arrived. 

VINCENNES,  9th.  —  Colonel  Harmar  had  informed  us 
of  his  intention  to  visit  Kaskaskia  and  the  settlements 
on  the  Mississippi,  and  had  directed  me  to  detail  a  sub- 
altern and  twenty-eight  men  to  accompany  him.  I  felt 
a  desire  to  see  the  Mississippi,  and  offered  myself  for  the 
command.  This  the  first  time  I  solicited  any  service ; 
others  might  do  it,  but  this  soliciting  service  was  a  busi- 
ness I  disapproved.  Was  living  with  the  Colonel  at  the 
time.  However,  he  chose  that  I  should  not  go.  Ensign 
M'Dowell  was  ordered  in  his  turn  for  this  pleasant  tour. 
They  set  out  early  this  morning,  accompanied  by  a  very 
accomplished  Frenchman,  a  Mr.  Tardiveau.  Major 
Wyllys,  the  senior  officer,  left  to  comm.and.  A  Mr.  Ma- 
son, with  a  small  party,  left  us  this  day  for  the  Falls. 
By  him  sent  several  letters,  under  cover,  to  Mr.  Kings- 
bury,  at  the  head  of  the  Rapids,  addressed  to  my  friends 
in  Pennsylvania.  One  for  P.  F.,  Philadelphia ;  another 
for  Mr.  Lyon,  Carlisle,  and  one  for  Doctor  M'Dowell,  at 
Muskingum,  all  respecting  my  rank,  &c.  I  likewise 
sent  per  Mr.  Bradford,  a  letter  to  my  friend  Parker,  at 
Lexington. 

20tk.  —  A  gentleman  from  Kaskaskia  arrived,  but  did 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  105 

not  meet  the  Colonel's  party.  Must  have  been  upon  dif- 
ferent traces.  Tells  of  two  hundred  Shawanees  and 
Delawares  having  left  their  villages  on  the  Miami  and 
settled  across  the  Mississippi,  under  protection  of  the 
Spaniards.  That  more  were  expected,  as  the  Spaniards 
had  given  them  pressing  invitations. 

2lst. — An  express  arrived  from  the  Rapids,  with  dis- 
patches for  Colonel  Harmar  from  the  War  Office.  By 
this  opportunity  I  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Kingsbury, 
telling  me  that  he  had  forwarded  my  letter  for  P.  F.  and 
the  one  to  Carlisle,  per  Mr.  Abner  Dunn,  through  the 
wildnerness. 

Sept,  2d.  —  A  runner  from  the  Piankeshaws  informed 
Major  Wyllys  that  the  chiefs  of  the  tribes  invited  down 
had  agreed  to  come,  and  that  he  might  expect  them 
daily. 

3d.  —  The  Colonel  and  his  party  returned  from  the 
Illinois. 

5th.  —  One  hundred  of  the  Piankeshaws  and  Wyohto- 
mas  appeared  in  great  style ;  all  in  canoes,  but  twelve 
horsemen  who  guarded  the  shore.  The  chiefs'  canoes 
carried  white  flags.  On  their  approach  they  gave  us 
three  fires.  We  were  prepared  for  this,  and  had  in 
readiness  twenty  men,  who  returned  the  salute  with 
three  rounds.  They  all  came  ashore  —  expressed  much 
gladness  at  seeing  us  as  friends.  Taking  a  little  milk 
for  nourishment,  they  set  out  for  town  to  see  their  French 
brothers,  giving  another  fire  as  they  went  oif. 

7th.  —  Colonel  Harmar  made  a  speech  to  the  Indians, 
the  purport  of  which  was,  informing  them  of  the  peace- 


106  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

able  disposition  of  the  United  States ;  that  he  was  di- 
rected by  the  principal  chief  to  take  by  the  hand  every 
tribe  of  Indians  desirous  of  peace,  and  authorized  to 
destroy  those  otherwise  inclined.  He  told  them  that 
everything  should  be  done  to  make  them  glad  ;  that  the 
road  should  be  kept  clear  and  smooth  between  them  and 
us,  that  traders  might  pass  freely  and  with  safety,  &c. 
As  a  pledge  of  remembrance  of  the  thirteen  great  fires 
(the  thirteen  United  States) ,  he  presented  each  tribe  with 
thirteen  strings  of  white  wampum. 

StL  —  Five  of  the  Indian  chiefs  each  made  a  reply  to 
the  Colonel's  speech,  expressing  their  gladness  at  being 
taken  by  the  hand  by  their  fathers  the  Bostonians.  Pro- 
fessed great  friendship  ;  said  that  they  had  been  misled, 
were  now  sensible  of  their  error ;  hoped  their  fathers 
would  let  all  the  blood  which  has  been  spilt  be  washed 
down  with  the  river,  never  to  be  seen  or  thought  of 
more.  That  they  would  stand  upon  fresh  ground,  keep 
the  road  and  the  stumps  between  them  and  their  fathers 
quite  smooth ;  and  as  a  proof  and  remembrance,  each 
presented  the  Colonel  with  a  calumet  and  a  string  of 
wampum. 

107A. —  The  old  chiefs  attended,  expecting,  as  was  cus- 
tomary, some  presents.  The  Colonel  told  them  that  we 
were  warriors,  that  we  did  not  come  to  purchase  their 
friendship  with  trinkets,  but  barely  to  take  them  by  the 
hand  if  they  chose  to  give  it ;  if  they  did  not,  it  was  a 
matter  of  indifference.  But,  however,  since  things  had 
been  so  well  settled,  he  told  them  his  warriors  had  a  few 
articles,  which  they  would  give  to  the  old  men  only. 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  107 

The  sachems  returned  thanks.  Pleased  to  take  what 
they  could  get.  The  greatest  beggars  I  have  seen  yet 
among  all  the  savages. 


.  —  Two  men  out  of  fifteen  who  had  set  out  on  the 
9th  for  the  Rapids,  returned,  having  been  fired  on  near 
the  forks  of  White  river,  by  a  party  of  Indians.  From 
their  report  it  is  likely  the  greater  number  of  their  com- 
pany fell  a  sacrifice.  This  story  circulating  through  the 
town  had  like  to  have  frightened  off  all  the  Indians  who 
had  been  invited. 

13th.  —  The  Indians  took  their  departure. 

15//J.  —  Lieutenant  Armstrong,  with  a  party  of  soldiers 
and  militia,,  set  out  to  meet  a  drove  of  cattle  which  Mr. 
Bradshaw,  with  some  hands,  was  bringing  on.  Fortu- 
nately the  two  parties  met  about  seven  miles  off,  and  came 
in  the  same  evening.  This  day  Captain  Mercer  and  Mr. 
Britt  arrived  from  Kaskaskia. 

Yincennes,  or  Post  Yincennes,  as  it  is  called,  is  said  to 
be  the  most  capital  village  in  the  western  country. 
There  are  about  five  hundred  souls,  French,  and  about 
half  as  many  Americans.  It  is  handsomely  situated  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Wabash,  out  of  danger  of  the  floods. 
The  village  is  built  in  the  centre  of  a  large  prairie,  the 
greater  part  of  which  is  at  present  cultivated,  but  under 
no  inclosure.  A  sufficiency  only  is  inclosed  for  their 
cattle,  and  is  in  common.  Their  houses  are  chiefly  frame 
work,  and  many  of  them  covered  with  bark  Five  or  six 
families  live  on  the  opposite  side  and  have  little  farms. 
The  land  is  excellent  and  the  country  generally  fine  for 
growing.  It  was  first  settled  by  a  Monsieur  Yincennes, 


108  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

near  seventy  years  ago,  from  whom  it  takes  its  name 
It  is  allowed  to  be  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles  from 
Post  Vincennes  to  Kaskaskia.  The  prairies  between 
these  two  places  are  remarkable.  One,  in  particular,  I 
am  told,  is  thirty  miles  in  width,  and  near  one  hundred 
miles  in  length.  They  run  north  and  south.  They  are 
grown  up  with  long  grass,  free  from  brush  and  under- 
wood ;  here  and  there  a  small  copse  of  handsome  young 
trees.  The  country  abounds  in  buffalo,  deer,  elk  and 
bear. 

Kaskaskia,  though  more  ancient  than  the  Post,  is  not  so 
extensive  a  village.  Opposite  is  a  settlement  called  Mi- 
sere,  where  a  lieutenant  and  five  or  six  regular  soldiers 
are  stationed.  About  sixty  miles  above  Kaskaskia  is 
Cahokia,  and  opposite  it,  on  the  Spanish  side,  is  St. 
Louis,  where  the  commandant  (a  lieutenant-colonel) 
resides,  with  about  twenty  soldiers.  Between  Kaskas- 
kia and  Cahokia  there  are  several  small  villages,  some 
of  them  inhabited  by  Americans  only,  wrho  have  emi- 
grated to  that  country  chiefly  since  the  late  war. 

POST  VINCENNES,  30th.  —  Orders  issued  for  Ziegler's 
and  Strong's  companies  to  march  next  day,  with  the 
commandant,  for  the  Rapids  of  the  Ohio.  Finney's  and 
Mercer's  companies  to  embark  on  the  3d  October,  under 
command  of  Major  Wyllys,  for  the  same  place.  Major 
Hamtramck,  with  Ferguson's  and  Smith's  companies,  to 
continue  at  the  Post. 

Oct.  \st.  —  Set  out  with  the  commandant  and  the  two 
companies ;  marched  to  a  branch  of  the  river  De  Shay, 
supposed  to  be  nine  miles. 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY. 

2(7. — Crossed  the  west  fork  of  White  river  and 

encamped  on  a  branch,       -         -  -       _t«  •  20 

3d.  —  Crossed  and  encamped  on  north  fork  of 

White  river,  24 

4th. — Reached  the  Great  Lick,         -         -         -  18 

§th. — Branch  of  Patoka,  16 

6th. — Branch  of  Blue  river,  -         -         -  25 

7th. — Rapids,      -  18 

130 

In  this  route  we  pursued  General  Clark's  trace,  made 
a  twelvemonth  ago,  on  his  way  against  the  Wabash  In- 
dians. First  and  second  day  passed  through  tolerable 
land ;  third  day  very  indifferent,  owing  to  the  path  keep- 
ing about  three  and  four  miles  distant,  for  thirty  miles 
up  the  north  fork  of  White  river,  which  led  us  through 
neither  rich  nor  level  land,  but  just  across  the  heads  of 
gullies  leading  into  White  river.  Fourth  day's  march, 
passed  over  a  great  deal  of  good  land,  particularly  near 
the  Great  Lick,  which  is  not  far  distant  from  the  road. 
When  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Lick,  our  hunters  had 
leave  to  go  ahead.  Presently  heard  the  report  of  both 
their  guns,  and  in  a  few  minutes  five  buffaloes  made 
their  appearance,  bearing  furiously  toward  the  head  of 
the  column.  When  within  fifty  paces,  the  men  in  front 
were  permitted  to  fire ;  this  turned  the  heads  of  the  ani- 
mals ;  they  passed  along  and  received  the  fire  of  the 
whole  line.  Three  only  were  shot  down,  near  the  rear, 
where  they  approached  within  twenty  paces.  Fifth  day's 
march,  through  pretty  good  land.  Sixth,  barren.  Sev- 


110  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

enth,  broken  with  knobs  and  small  mountains,  until  we 
got  within  seven  or  eight  miles  of  the  Rapids,  when  the 
land  became  level  and  of  the  first  quality. 

9th.  —  Mr.  Wells  set  out  for  Fort  Pitt,  with  two  light 
boats,  by  whom  I  sent  several  letters ;  one  to  Esquire 
Lyon,  and  inclosed  a  duplicate  of  a  letter  sent  from  the 
Post  to  G.  F.,  and  likewise  two  small  letters  inclosed  to 
my  friends  in  Carlisle. 

21st.  —  Major  Wyllys,  with  our  fleet,  consisting  of 
eleven  boats,  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  Rapids. 

22(7.  —  Baggage  brought  round  the  Falls  in  wagons. 
The  troops  marched  up  to  the  fort  and  took  quarters 
with  us. 

23d  and  24th.  —  The  men  employed  in  dragging  the 
boats  up  through  the  Falls. 

FORT  FINXEY,  Rapids  of  Ohio,  28th. — Colonel  Harmar 
received  brevet  commission,  with  pay  and  emoluments  of 
Brigadier-General.  He  sets  out  for  Fort  Harmar.  Quar- 
ter-master Pratt  and  myself  accompany  in  a  barge,  with 
sergeant  and  fourteen  men.  Orders  left  for  Captains 
Ziegler  and  Strong  with  their  companies  to  follow  on  to- 
morrow. Major  Wyllys,  with  Finney's  and  Mercer's 
companies,  to  continue  at  Fort  Finney  at  the  head  of  the 
Rapids.  Got  to  the  eighteen  mile  Island. 

29th,  to  Kentucky  river. 

30th,  Big  Bone  creek. 

3lst,  Great  Miami. 

Nov.  1st,  to  the  Little  Miami. 

2;?,  about  half  way  between  Little  Miami  and  Lime- 
stone. 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  Ill 

3^?,  to  Limestone. 

4th,  lay  still. 

5th,  twenty-two  miles  up. 

6th,  just  below  Scioto. 

7th,  thirty  miles  up. 

8th,  just  below  Guyandot. 

9th,  within  eighteen  miles  of  the  Great  Kanahwa. 

10^,  six  miles  above  the  Great  Kanahwa. 

11M,  got  five  miles  above  the  Little  Falls. 

12th,  to  the  Scioto  settlement. 

13th,  arrived  at  Muskingum,  Fort  Harmar,  after  a 
passage  of  sixteen  days — one  other  day  we  spent  at  Lime- 
stone. 

20th.  —  Lieutenant  Beatty  arrived  from  New  York, 
with  some  pay  for  the  regiment. 

21st. —  Ziegler's  and  Strong's  companies  arrive  and 
take  quarters  for  the  winter.  Dough ty's  company  we 
had  left  here.  M'Curdy's,  which  had  been  employed 
through  the  summer  escorting  the  United  States  survey- 
ors, was  here  also. 

24th.  —  Alexander  Parker  and  Mr.  Dunn  arrived  on 
their  way  to  Kentucky,  by  whom  I  received  several  let- 
ters from  my  friends  at  Carlisle  and  a  box  of  linen. 
Parker  and  Dunn  left  us  the  same  day,  not  wishing  to 
lose  good  weather  and  high  water. 

Dec.  6th. — Captain  Ashton,  who  had  come  to  this  place 
with  Parker  and  Dunn,  set  out  for  the  Falls. 

10th. — Lieutenant  Beatty  set  out  again  for  New  York 
for  more  cash. 

12th. — Mr.  Jacob  Melcher,  a  candidate  for  the  vacant 


112  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

ensigncy  in  the  Pennsylvania  quota  arrived ;  with  whom 
came  John  Siddon,  a  man  enlisted  for  one  year  to  serve  as 
a  ranger,  and  who  had  been  taken  prisoner  on  the  Wa- 
bash  the  26th  July  last.  At  the  time  he  was  taken,  he 
received  a  slight  wound  on  the  hip.  The  Indians  carried 
him  to  their  farthermost  town  on  the  Wabash  and  adopt- 
ed him  in  a  family,  where  he  continued  to  live  peaceably. 
When  an  opportunity  offered  for  his  escape,  he  left  them 
and  passed  through  several  Delaware  towns  without  any 
interruption,  and  arrived  safe  at  Pittsburgh. 

2oth. — The  river  Ohio  bound  fast  with  ice. 

Jan.  1st,  1788. — The  weather  continues  exceedingly  cold. 

§th. —  The  thermometer  sixteen  degrees  below  zero. 
Horses,  &c.,  crossed  the  river  on  the  ice. 

20th. — The  river  broke  up — much  ice  floating. 

Feb.  4th.  —  The  weather  intensely  cold ;  the  mercury 
down  to  fourteen  degrees  below  zero.  A  messenger 
arrived  from  Captain  Pipe,  with  a  friendly  talk,  request- 
ing that  the  roads  might  be  kept  smooth  and  clear  for 
the  Delawares  to  pass  and  repass. 

24:th.  —  The  navigation  had  been  shut  or  interrupted 
by  ice  since  20th  December  last.  To-day  we  had  the  first 
arrival.  Colonel  Elaine,  his  son  James,  and  Mr.  C.  Wil- 
kins,  all  old  acquaintances  of  the  officers,  came  just  from 
Fort  Pitt.  Very  glad  to  see  them.  Mr.  Wilkins  con- 
tinues here,  with  a  store  of  goods  suitable  for  the  troops. 

March  1th. — Colonel  Blain  and  his  son  left  us  and  set 
out  with  Mr.  Spear,  who  was  ordered  to  the  Rapids  to 
bring  up  the  commissioners'  goods,  to  be  in  readiness  for 
the  intended  grand  treaty. 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  113 

8th. — Captain  Pipe  and  his  tribe  came  in. 

9^.  —  Although  the  time,  for  which  the  men  now  in 
service  were  enlisted,  does  not  expire  until  midsummer, 
yet,  to  provide  recruits  and  to  have  them  out  in  season, 
it  was  thought  advisable  that  a  few  officers  should  go  to 
their  respective  States  for  that  purpose.  Accordingly 
Captains  Ziegler  and  Bradford  (the  latter  in  place  of 
Doughty,  promoted,)  and  Lieutenant  Pratt,  the  Quarter- 
master, all  volunteering  this  service,  set  out. 

17th.  —  Mr.  Schuyler  pursued  the  recruiting  officer 
with  some  dispatches  which  had  been  forgotten. 

April  6th.  —  Left  Fort  Harmar,  in  company  with  the 
General  and  Daniel  Britt,  the  contractor,  on  board  a 
barge  with  twelve  oars. 

7th. — Rained  all  day.  Got  to  the  fourth  island  on  the 
reach. 

8^. — Fine  day,  with  wind.    Lay  just  below  Fish  creek. 

9th. — The  river  still  continues  to  rise.  Had  the  water 
remarkably  hard.  Got  to  Grave  creek. 

10^. — The  water  began  to  lower.  Arrived  at  Wheel- 
ing about  eleven  o'clock,  when  Mr.  Britt  took  horse  to 
go  by  land  to  Pitt. 

llth. — The  river  falling  fast.     Got  to  Edgington's. 

1.2th.  —  A  fine  wind.  Lay  half  mile  above  Beckar's 
Fort. 

13th. — Got  to  M'Intosh  early  in  the  evening,  where  we 
tarried  all  night. 

14th. — With  extreme  hard  work  we  got  to  Fort  Pitt. 

15th. — A  rainy  morning ;  the  water  began  to  rise. 

16th. — A  fine  day.  17th,  the  same.  18th,  cold  rain. 
8 


114  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 


.  —  Blustering  rainy  weather. 

20tk.  —  A  considerable  quantity  of  snow  fell.  The 
rivers  up  to  a  considerable  height  ;  the  weather  exceed- 
ingly cold. 

2lst.  —  The  weather  moderate  and  the  water  falls. 

22d.  —  Some  rain,  and  windy.  23d,  fine  day.  Water 
falls  slowly. 

24th.  —  Rained  in  the  morning.     Cloudy. 

2oth.  —  Wet  and  disagreeable  day.     26th,  rain  all  day. 

Sunday,  27th.  —  It  was  the  General's  intention  to  spend 
a  day  or  two  here,  and  proceed  up  the  Allegheny  river 
to  Fort  Franklin  (formerly  Venango),  but  a  continuation 
of  heavy  rains  and  consequent  high  water,  induced  him 
to  delay  for  a  more  favorable  time  ;  but  unwilling  to  be 
absent  too  long,  we  set  out  with  high  water,  and  rising. 
This  day  we  passed  seven  islands,  and  gained  fifteen 
miles. 

28th.  —  Had  severe  thunder,  with  rain.  Passed  eight 
islands  and  several  lodges  of  Indians  near  Kiskiminitis. 
Lay  five  miles  above  the  mouth  of  that  river. 

29th.  —  Clear  and  cold.  River  still  rising.  Passed 
seven  islands,  and  encamped  a  mile  above  Mahoning. 

30^.  —  Last  night  the  contractor's  boat,  from  Venango, 
passed  down  on  its  way  back  to  Pitt  ;  had  a  passage  of 
fifteen  days  up.  Very  hard  water  to-day.  Passed  two 
islands  ;  gained  twenty  miles. 

May  1st.  —  Current  this  day  very  rapid.  Passed  Stump 
creek  and  six  islands  ;  made  about  twenty  miles. 

2d.  —  Passed  a  creek  on  the  east  side  about  nine  o'clock. 
Eleven  o'clock  passed  another,  and  about  half  after  three 


MAJOK    EBENEZER    DENNY.  115 

another  of  considerable  size,  on  the  west  side,  supposed 
to  be  Sandy.  Five  islands  this  day,  and  rain  from 
morning  till  night. 

3d.  —  About  eight  o'clock  this  morning,  after  passing 
one  island,  we  entered  the  mouth  of  French  creek.  The 
fort  stands  half  a  mile  up.  Several  miles  below  we  were 
discovered  by  some  Indians,  who  cut  across  and  gave 
notice  to  Captain  Heart  of  our  approach.  The  arrival 
of  General  Harmar  was  announced  with  seven  rounds 
of  a  six-pounder  from  the  fort.  Very  kindly  received 
by  the  Captain  and  Lieutenant  Frothingham,  at  the 
head  of  their  command.  The  company  reviewed  and 
dismissed.  Spent  the  day  in  examining  Captain  Heart's 
work,  viewing  the  adjacent  country  and  the  old  fortifica- 
tions of  the  French  and  British.  There  is  a  fine  flat  of 
good  land  here,  altogether  on  the  lower  side  of  French 
creek,  sufficient  for  several  farms.  The  only  flat  land 
from  Mahoning  or  Mohelboteetam,  up.  The  hills  come 
in  close  on  the  opposite  sides,  both  of  French  creek  and 
the  Allegheny  river,  and  I  am  informed  that  the  coun- 
try for  at  least  five  miles  in  all  directions,  is  very  much 
broken  with  hills  and  rocks.  Captain  Heart's  Fort,  or 
Fort  Franklin,  as  it  is  called,  is  built  precisely  after  the 
one  which  had  been  erected  by  the  British,  called  Ve- 
nango.  It  is  a  square  redoubt,  with  a  block-house  three 
stories  high,  in  the  centre ;  stands  better  than  half  a 
mile  up  French  creek,  upon  very  good  ground ;  but  the 
situation,  in  my  opinion,  by  no  means  so  eligible  as  that 
of  old  Venango  built  by  the  English.  This  last  work 
stood  upon  commanding  ground  pretty  close  to  the  bank 


116  MILITAEY    JOUENAL    OF 

of  the  Allegheny,  half  a  mile  below  French  creek,  and 
a  mile  from  Fort  Franklin.  The  cellar  wall  and  huge 
stack  of  chimneys  of  the  block-house,  are  of  stone,  and 
yet  quite  entire.  The  parapet  and  some  other  parts  re- 
main perfect,  and  the  whole  work  might  have  been  re- 
built with  half  the  labor  and  expense  of  that  built  by 
Heart.  The  only  reason  the  captain  could  offer  for 
taking  new  ground,  was  the  convenience  of  timber.  The 
French,  who  made  the  first  establishment  here,  chose  the 
ground  several  hundred  yards  below  where  the  British 
built.  They  had  a  small  stockade  fort;  some  remains 
of  it  are  yet  to  be  seen.  But  around  the  British  work 
there  is  everything  to  be  seen  which  was  not  consum- 
ed by  the  fire  —  ditches  and  parapets,  stone  walls,  &c. 
Several  handsomely  disposed  gardens,  walks,  &c.,  very 
visible,  and  a  few  fruit  trees  remaining  still ;  some  gar- 
den roots,  &c.,  particularly  the  parsnip,  in  considerable 
abundance. 

We  see  a  number  of  the  Senecas  here.  The  Sene- 
cas,  who  inhabit  the  banks  of  the  Allegheny,  some 
three  or  four  day's  journey  above  this,  are  frequently 
here.  They  bring  their  peltry  and  exchange  it  with  the 
traders  for  such  articles  as  suit  them.  We  saw  several 
families  of  them ;  all  appeared  indolent,  dirty,  inanimate 
creatures  ;  most  so  of  any  Indians  I  had  seen. 

4#A.  —  Left  Fort  Franklin  at  five  o'clock.  Allegheny 
river  flowing  brim  full ;  current  not  less  perhaps  than 
six  miles  an  hour.  We  worked  twelve  oars  steadily. 
Had  two  extra  hands  that  afforded  some  relief;  and 
except  about  an  hour,  which  was  taken  up  in  whole  in 


MAJOE    EBENEZEK    DENNY.  117 

eating,  and  a  little  time  spent  on  an  island,  we  lost  no 
time.  Arrived  and  landed  at  the  fort  on  the  Mononga- 
hela  side  precisely  at  eight  o'clock — fifteen  hours  passage. 
After  leaving  the  mouth  of  French  creek,  there  appeared 
little  else  than  hills  and  rocks  and  rugged  looking  ridges 
until  as  low  as  Mahoning,  or  what  was  originally  called 
Mohelboteetam ;  from  thence  the  bottoms  increased  on 
one  side  or  the  other  until  we  reached  Pitt.  Some  very 
beautiful  situations  and  tracts  of  land,  indeed ;  old  Kit- 
tanning  a  delightful  one. 

7th. — Accompanied  General  Harmar  on  horseback  on 
a  visit  to  his  lands  in  Westmoreland  countv.  Made 

«. 

nearly  the  same  tour  I  had  done  last  winter  was  a  year. 
Returned  to  Pitt  on  Sunday,  the  llth. 

13^.  —  Visited  my  uncle  John  M'Clure's  family,  nine 
miles  above  Pitt,  on  the  Monongahela ;  spent  a  very 
pleasant  day.  Two  or  three  gentle  acquaintances  were 
along;  they  were  formerly  from  Carlisle.  A  very  re- 
spectable portion  of  the  society  of  Pittsburgh  are  from 
that  place,  and  this  circumstance,  no  doubt,  tends  to  at- 
tract and  to  create  the  social  intercourse  and  very  great 
harmony  which  prevails  among  them. 

15^.  —  A  Mr.  White,  member  of  Congress,  and  some 
gentlemen  of  Pittsburgh,  accompanied  the  General  in 
the  barge,  on  a  visit  up  the  Monongahela  to  Braddock's 
Field.  We  viewed  the  battle  ground.  Saw  several 
small  heaps  of  bones  which  had  been  collected,  with  a 
little  brushwood  thrown  over  them.  The  bones  of  the 
poor  soldiers  are  still  lying  scattered  through  the  woods, 


118  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

but  the  ground  where  the  heaviest  of  the  action  was  is 
now  under  cultivation. 

17^.  —  Lieutenant  Beatty,  our  pay-master,  arrived 
from  Isrew  York  with  cash  for  the  troops. 

20th.  —  He  set  out  for  Yenango  by  land,  escorted  by 
five  soldiers.  After  paying  that  post,  he  will  return  to 
Pitt  to  proceed  with  us  in  the  barge  to  Fort  Harmar. 

23d. — General  Arthur  St.  Clair,  lately  appointed  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Western  Territory,  arrived  at  Pitt.  He  has 
been  expected  for  some  time.  Had  dispatched  messen- 
gers to  the  Indian  towns  to  invite  them  to  another  treaty. 
Accompanied  by  the  Governor  we  took  another  road  to 
Braddock's  Field,  and  visited  the  remains  of  poor  Brad- 
dock's  soldiers.  On  our  return  I  saw  my  uncle's  family. 

27th.  —  The  messengers  returned  from  the  Indian 
towns,  inform  us  that  no  assemblage  of  them  can  be  had 
for  two  or  three  months.  The  Governor  returns  to  Lig- 
onier,  where  his  family  reside. 

28th.  —  General  Harmar,  Mr.  White  and  myself  em- 
barked for  Fort  Harmar,  at  which  place  wTe  arrived 
about  twelve  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  29th.  Here  we 
found  Spear  and  Melcher,  two  subalterns  of  the  regiment, 
and  Mr.  Ephraim  Blaine.  They  had  landed  a  few  hours 
before  us.  Spear  and  Melcher,  on  their  way  from  Vin- 
cennes,  below  the  Falls,  were  fired  upon  by  a  party  of 
savages  in  ambush  on  the  bank,  close  up  which  the  oth- 
ers were  rowing.  Two  men  only  were  killed.  It  is  a 
matter  of  astonishment,  that  when  the  Indians  do  attack 
our  boats  in  this  dastardly  way,  from  the  very  great  ad- 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  119 

vantage  they  have,  that  the  men  in  the  boats  are  not  all 
destroyed.  There  have  been  too  many  instances  this 
spring  of  our  people  being  fired  on,  but  the  loss  incon- 
siderable to  what  it  might  have  been.  Preparations  are 
making  for  another  grand  treaty.  Government  have 
directed  it.  Our  commandant  thinks  it  all  idle  business. 
One-half  will  come  in,  sign  articles  and  receive  presents, 
while  the  others  are  killing,  scalping  and  doing  us  every 
possible  damage  they  can. 

An  association  of  persons  in  the  New  England  States, 
having  made  a  purchase  from  the  United  States  of  a 
tract  of  country  extending  along  the  Ohio  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  back  perhaps  thirty,  had 
formed  themselves  into  a  company  known  by  the  name 
of  the  Ohio  Company.  A  number  of  the  proprietors  and 
directors  elected  had  come  on  and  fixed  upon  the  ground 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Muskingum  and  Ohio  rivers,  as 
a  central  situation  from  which  they  could  extend  their 
operations,  and  at  the  same  time  be  protected  by  the 
garrison  of  Fort  Harmar,  which  was  situate  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Muskingum.  These  men  from  New  England, 
many  of  whom  were  of  the  first  respectability,  old  Revo- 
lutionary officers,  had  erected  and  were  now  living  in  huts 
immediately  opposite  us.  A  considerable  number  of  in- 
dustrious farmers  had  purchased  shares  in  the  company, 
and  more  or  less  arrive  every  week.  A  spacious  city  is 
laid  out  here,  called  Marietta,  in  honor  of  the  Queen  of 
France.  About  half  a  mile  up  the  Muskingum,  upon 
very  commanding  ground,  the  site  of  a  very  ancient  and 
very  extraordinary  fortification,  was  erected  a  place  of 


L20  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

arms  and  security,,  called  Campus  Martius.  Building 
put  up  of  hewn  timber,  two  stories  high,  forming  an  ob- 
long square,  with  strong  block-houses  in  each  angle,  leav- 
ing a  considerable  area;  here  their  stores,  &c.,  were 
lodged,  and  some  families  perhaps  more  timid  than  others, 
reside,  but  generally  both  men  and  women  appear  en- 
terprising. Generals  Parsons  and  Varum,  two  of  the 
company's  directors,  were  also  territorial  judges.  Mr. 
Symmes,  the  other  judge,  was  the  principal  agent  in  the 
purchase  of  another  tract  of  country,  including  the  Mi- 
amis. 

8th. — Jane  Beatty  arrived  from  Fort  Pitt. 

9th. — Armstrong  embarked  for  Fort  Pitt. 

13^. — Ensign  M'Dowell,  with  a  party  of  soldiers,  set 
out  to  escort  Mr.  Duncan,  the  provisions  and  stores  in- 
tended for  a  treaty,  to  the  Falls  of  Muskingum. 

June  \otJi. — Major  Doughty  embarked  in  the  barge 
for  Fort  Pitt.  His  design  is  to  accompany  Governor  St. 
Glair  to  this  post. 

July  4th.  —  The  officers  of  Fort  Harmar  were  enter- 
tained on  the  point  (Marietta  side)  by  the  Ohio  Com- 
pany. Heard  a  very  suitable  oration  delivered  by  Judge 
Yarum. 

8^.  —  Captain  Bradford  and  Lieutenant  Ernest  ar- 
rived from  New  York,  where  they  had  been  sent  to  re- 
cruit. Their  Legislature  not  having  taken  up  the  re- 
quisition of  Congress  for  raising  the  regiment,  these 
gentlemen  were  obliged  to  return  without  effecting  their 
object. 

9th. — The  arrival  of  the  Governor  of  the  Western  Ter- 


MAJOR    EBENEZEE    DENNY.  121 

ritory  (General  St.  Clair)  was  announced  by  the  dis- 
charge of  thirteen  rounds  from  a  six-pounder.  The 
garrison  turned  out,  and  troops  received  him  with  pre- 
sented arms. 

~L3tk. —  About  a  month  since,  Ensign  M'Dowell,  with 
a  command  of  thirty  men,  escorted  boats  with  provisions, 
&c.,  to  the  Falls  of  Muskingum,  about  seventy-five  miles 
up,  where  the  intended  treaty  was  to  be  held.  We  are 
informed  by  express  that  his  party  were  attacked  in  their 
camp  yesterday  by  a  party  of  Tawas ;  that  his  picket 
guard  was  routed ;  two  soldiers  only  were  killed  and  one 
missing.  A  black  servant  of  Mr.  Duncan  was  killed. 
The  Indians  were  repulsed  with  the  loss  of  one  killed 
and  left  behind. 

14£A.  —  This  evening  a  party  with  a  craft  was  sent  up 
the  Muskingum  to  bring  off  Ensign  M'Dowell,  command, 
&c.  The  treaty,  if  any,  determined  to  be  held  at  Fort 
Harmar. 

15th. — Winthrop  Sargent,  Secretary  of  the  Territory, 
and  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Ohio  Company,  had 
reached  this  with  the  ordinance  of  Congress  respecting 
the  government,  and  with  the  commissions  for  the  sever- 
al officers.  The  people  convened  on  the  point ;  military 
officers  invited  over.  When  assembled,  the  Secretary 
read  the  law  and  the  appointments.  Those  people  ap- 
pear the  most  happy  folks  in  the  world ;  greatly  satisfied 
with  their  new  purchase.  But  they  certainly  are  the 
best  informed,  most  courteous  and  civil  to  strangers  of 
any  people  I  have  yet  met  with.  The  order  and  regu- 
larity observed  by  all,,  their  sober  deportment  and  perfect 


122  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

submission  to  the  constituted  authorities,  &c.,  must  tend 
much  to  promote  their  settlements. 

16M.  —  Lieutenant  Ford,  who  had  been  stationed  at 
Fort  M'lntosh,  arrived  with  his  party.  He  is  to  proceed 
to  Post  Yincennes  to  join  his  company. 

Yiih,  —  Lieutenant  Beatty  embarked  with  part  of 
Ford's  command  for  the  Rapids. 

20th. — Ensign  M'Dowell  returned.  By  his  address  be- 
fore he  left  his  camp,  had  managed  to  get  hold  of  six  of 
the  fellows  who  had  made  the  attack  upon  him.  They 
were  brought  down  bound,  and  confined  under  the  garri- 
son guard.  They  called  themselves  Tawas  and  Chippewas. 

28th. — Two  of  our  Indian  prisoners  made  their  escape 
from  the  guard.  Four  of  the  soldiers  had  been  conduct- 
ing them,  as  was  usual,  to  the  necessary  which  stands 
outside  the  fort.  Those  within  are  used  only  after  night. 
A  corn  patch  adjoining  the  necessary.  The  Indians  had 
previously  found  that  the  irons  on  their  hands  and  feet 
could  be  slipped  off ;  when  close  to  the  corn,  and  at  a 
moment  when  the  attention  of  the  guard  was  taken  off, 
they  slipped  their  shackles,  leaped  into  the  corn  field, 
which  sheltered  them  from  the  view  of  the  sentries,  aiid 
were  soon  out  of  reach. 

Aug.  7th.  —  Ensign  Thompson  sent  express  to  Fort 
Pitt  with  orders  for  Captain  Ziegler,  who  we  hear  has 
arrived  there  with  his  company. 

Sth.  —  Lieutenant  Ford  set  out  for  the  Rapids  of  the 
Ohio ;  from  thence  he  is  to  proceed  with  the  pay-master 
to  Post  Vincennes. 

17th. — Captain  Heart  arrived  from  Venango,  and  Cap- 


MAJOE    EBENEZER    DENNY.  123 

tain  Strong  set  off  for  Connecticut,  by  whom  I  wrote  to 
my  friend  J.  C. 

27th.  —  Judge  Bynames,  with-several  boats  and  families, 
arrived  on  their  way  to  his  new  purchase  at  the  Miami. 
Has  a  daughter  (Polly)  along.  They  lodge  with  the 
General  and  Mrs.  Harmar.  Stay  three  days  and  depart- 
If  not  greatly  mistaken,  Miss  Symmes  will  make  a  fine 
woman.  An  amiable  disposition  and  highly  cultivated 
mind,  about  to  be  buried  in  the  wilderness. 

31st.  —  Captain  Smith  arrived  from  New  York  on  his 
way  to  the  Post  to  join  his  company.  With  him  came 
Ensign  Thompson,  Mr.  Melcher  and  Mr.  Brown,  a 
member  of  Congress  from  Kentucky. 

Sept.  1st. — Mr.  Brown  proceeded  down  the  river. 

2d.  —  Captain  Heart  and  Major  Doughty  set  out  for 
Venango.  The  latter  to  muster  the  troops  at  that  post. 

9th.  —  General  Richard  Butler,  commissioner  on  the 
part  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Captain  James  O'Hara,  the 
contractor,  with  Cornplanter  and  about  fifty  Senecas, 
arrive.  They  were  escorted  from  Pitt  by  Captain  Zieg- 
ler's  company  of  recruits.  They  were  received  with  a 
salute  of  three  rounds  of  cannon  and  the  music.  Zieg- 
ler  is  a  German,  had  been  in  Saxon  service  previous  to 
our  late  war  with  England.  Takes  pride  in  having  the 
handsomest  company  in  the  regiment ;  and  to  do  him  jus- 
tice, his  company  has  been  always  considered  the  first  in 
point  of  discipline  and  appearance.  Four-fifths  of  his 
company  have  been  Germans.  Majority  of  the  present 
are  men  who  served  in  Germany. 

FORT  HARMAR,  IWi. —  Mitchell  arrived  express  from 


124  MILITARY    JOURNAL     OF 

the  Falls,  by  whom  we  learn  that  Lieutenant  Peters 
with  a  command  of  thirty  men,  had  been  defeated  near 
the  mouth  of  the  "Wabash.  Eight  of  his  men  were 
killed  and  ten  wounded.  That  one  boat  loaded  with 
provisions  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  That  Mr. 
Peters  retreated  down  the  Ohio,  and  was  making  for 
Kaskaskia.  By  the  same  express  are  told  that  Captain 
Hardin,  from  Kentucky,  had  conducted  thirty  active 
woodsmen  (militia)  into  the  Indian  country  about  the 
mouth  of  the  Wabash,  and  it  was  supposed  had  fallen 
in  with  the  Indians  who  defeated  Peters ;  that  he  had 
returned  to  the  Falls  with  thirty  horses  taken  and  ten 
scalps.  Messengers  arrive  from  the  Indian  towns.  Say 
the  nations  in  grand  council  had  agreed  to  attend  the 
treaty.  Saw  the  young  men  return  daily  with  scalps. 

12tk. — A  singular  occurrence  took  place  to-day  in  sight 
of  the  fort,  between  two  of  the  Seneca  Indians.  Both 
among  the  best  looking  men,  and  duly  sober,  met,  drew 
their  knives  and  fought  until  both  sank  under  their 
wounds.  It  seems  that  they  had  formerly  lived  together 
as  brothers.  One  of  them,  a  married  man,  was  obliged 
to  go  on  a  mission  to  some  distant  nations,  and  unable 
to  take  along  his  wife,  left  her  in  charge  of  his  friend, 
who  was  to  provide  for  and  protect  her.  When  the  hus- 
band returned  he  found  that  his  poor  frail  wife  had  been 
left  in  care  of  a  savage.  She  was  seduced  and  carried 
out  of  the  nation.  He  bore  this  with  manly  fortitude, 
but  resolved  if  they  ever  met,  one  of  them  must  die.  It 
seems  that  they  had  a  knowledge  of  each  other  coming 
here,  and  were  prepared  for  the  meeting  and  for  what 


MAJOE    EBEXEZER    DENNY.  125 

took  place.  The  fellow  who  had  eloped  with  the  woman 
came  last  from  the  Shawanee  towns,  where  it  is  said  he 
lately  killed  a  girl  for  refusing  to  comply  with  his  wishes. 

14th.  —  A  messenger  arrived  from  the  Indian  towns 
with  speeches,  &c.  They  report  that  all  the  nations 
will  attend  the  grand  treaty  as  soon  as  possible  for  them 
to  arrive.  That  they  had  been  counciling  at  the  Miami 
town,  where  they  had  agreed  on  the  above ;  at  the  same 
time  scalps  were  daily  brought  in  by  the  young  men. 

15th.  —  Mr.  Ernest  and  Mr.  Wilkins  set  out  for  Fort 
Pitt,  the  former  with  orders  to  relieve  Lieutenant 
Schuyler,  who  is  stationed  there.  By  the  latter  I  sent 
a  letter  to  my  sister  Nancy,  and  inclosed  a  bank  note  of 
twenty  dollars. 

21st.  —  Lieutenant  Armstrong  arrived  on  his  way  to 
the  Falls. 

22d. —  Lieutenant  Kersey,  with  forty-eight  Jersey  re- 
cruits, and  Ensign  Hartshorn,  with  twenty-nine  from 
Connecticut,  arrived. 

29th.  —  Major  Doughty  arrived  from  Yenango,  where 
he  had  been  sent  to  muster  Captain  Heart's  command. 
With  him  came  Major  Alexander  and  several  other  gen- 
tlemen. 

Oct.  4th.  —  Captain  M'Curdy,  with  Ensign  Hartshorn 
and  cadet  Morgan,  and  about  forty  men,  were  detached 
to  escort  the  geographer  to  the  Scioto  river. 

13th. — Doctor  Knight  joined  the  regiment  in  character 
of  a  substitute  for  Doctor  Sumner,  who  had  occasion  to 
remain  at  home  longer  than  his  furlough  specified. 

One  of  the  two  savages  mentioned  on  the  12th  Sep- 


126 

tember  as  having  fought  respecting  a  woman,  is  found 
drowned  in  the  Muskingum.  It  is  said  the  tribe  gener- 
ally wished  for  his  exit,  and  that  some  of  them  must 
have  been  the  instruments  of  his  death.  Every  possible 
attention  was  paid  by  the  Senecas,  as  well  as  by  the  sur- 
o-eon  of  the  garrison,  to  the  husband.  His  life  was 
despaired  of.  The  other  totally  neglected,  an  outcast, 
left  to  shift  for  himself,  to  dress  himself;  a  small  portion 
of  victuals  sent  daily  from  the  fort,  and  left  in  his  reach 
where  he  lay  near  the  bank.  Notwithstanding,  and  con- 
trary to  the  expectation  and  wishes,  was  recovering  and 
able  to  crawl  about,  when  now,  a  month  after  the  fight, 
and  all  hopes  of  his  death  having  ceased,  he  is  found 
drowned  in  the  Muskingum.  Some  one  or  two  of  his 
nation  had  in  the  night  dragged  him  down  the  bank  and 
put  him  in  the  river.  From  the  appearance  of  the 
ground  being  torn  up  where  he  lay  and  along  to  the 
water's  edge,  he  must  have  made  considerable  resistance. 

~L9th. — General  Gibson,  a  commissioner  on  the  part  of 
the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  arrived  from  Fort  Pitt.  He 
and  General  Butler  are  appointed  by  the  State  to  treat 
with  the  Indians,  particularly  the  Senecas,  and  to  make 
them  compensation  for  a  tract  of  country  lying  on  Lake 
Erie,  and  including  Presqu'  Isle,  which  the  State  has 
purchased  of  Congress. 

20th. — Notwithstanding  the  treaty  was  solicited  by  the 
savages,  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  chiefs  will  come  in  or 
not.  A  late  message  from  them  says,  that  they  have 
been  informed  by  good  authority,  that  we  have  poisoned 
the  whiskey  which  we  intend  for  them ;  and  infection  for 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DEXXY.  127 

the  small  pox  has  been  put  in  the  blankets  to  be  present- 
ed them.  This  message,  with  the  daily  accounts  of  mis- 
chief doing  in  some  quarter  or  other,  seem  to  indicate  as 
if  they  had  no  mind  to  treat.  Three  canoes  arrived  last 
night  from  Limestone,  brought  accounts  that  Lieutenant 
Armstrong's  boat  was  fired  on  near  the  Scioto ;  that  one 
of  his  men  was  shot  through  the  cheek.  The  Indians 
have  lately  killed  a  soldier  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort  at 
the  Rapids,  and  not  content  with  scalping  him,  cut  him 
in  four  quarters  and  hung  them  up  on  the  bushes. 

28th.  —  OK  W.,  a  trusty  Indian  messenger  who  had 
been  sent  to  the  towns,  arrived  with  an  account  that 
the  chiefs  were  preparing  to  attend  the  treaty,  and  might 
be  expected  in  twelve  or  fifteen  days. 

Nov.  1st.  —  Captain  M'Curdy,  with  his  command,  and 
the  geographer,  arrived. 

7th. — Messengers  Wilson  and  Rankin  return  from  the 
Indian  towns.  With  them  came  Captain  Davie,  of  the 
Six  Nations,  and  several  others.  These  last  are  from 
Grand  river,  on  the  British  side  of  Lake  Erie.  Brant 
is  expected  in  a  few  days. 

Dec.  13th.  —  About  two  hundred  Indians  arrive — con- 
sist of  Delawares,  Wyandots,  Senecas,  Tawas,  Pottowat- 
tamies,  Chippewas  and  Socks.  No  Shawanees. 

14ith. — Meeting  in  council  house  to  welcome  each  oth- 
er, &c. 

15th. — Met  in  council.  Treaty  opened.  This  evening 
Captains  Ferguson  and  Beatty  set  out,  and  Ensign  M'- 
Dowell  arrived,  who  had  been  escorting  Mr.  Marten  sur- 
veying up  the  Scioto. 


128  MILITAET    JOURNAL    OF 

20th. — The  weather  extremely  cold.  The  river  driving 
with  ice.  The  Governor  and  Indians  have  had  frequent 
meetings  in  the  council  house,  but  nothing  conclusive  yet. 

29th. — A  grand  council  was  held.  The  old  Wyandot 
chief,  Shandotto,  addressed  the  Governor  in  behalf  of  all 
the  nations  present.  He  began  by  telling  their  origin 
and  how  the  thirteen  fires  had  gotten  possession  of  their 
country;  how  we  had  in  two  instances  cheated  them. 
The  first,  he  said,  was  in  a  bargain  made  with  them  for 
just  as  much  ground  as  an  ox's  hide  would  cover,  merely 
to  build  one  fire  upon.  The  Americans  cut  the  hide  into 
strings  and  claimed  all  the  ground  they  could  encompass 
therewith.  The  second  case  was  a  bargain  for  such  an 
extent  of  country,  in  a  certain  direction,  as  a  white  man 
would  travel  to  and  back  in  one  day.  A  surprising 
walker  was  found,  who  went  as  far  and  back  again  the 
same  day  as  any  of  their  swiftest  men  could  do  in  two. 
These,  said  he,  were  submitted  to,  as  you  were  strangers 
in  our  country,  and  professed  to  be  our  friends,  but  you 
have  gone  on  from  one  step  to  another,  so  that  we  don't 
know  when  you  will  stop.  At  a  treaty  concluded  to  the 
northward,  before  the  late  war,  he  said,  they  had  given 
up  all  the  country  south  of  the  Ohio  river.  That  boun- 
dary was  a  very  plain  one.  It  was  such  as  could  not  be 
altered  or  mistaken ;  there  could  be  no  dispute  about 
it.  Concluded  by  saying  that  all  the  nations  present  had 
determined  to  grant  no  more  of  the  country,  but  were 
willing  to  abide  by  the  treaty  which  established  the  river 
Ohio  as  the  boundary  line.  He  presented  a  large  belt 
of  wampum  with  a  black  stripe  running  through  the 


MAJOK    EBENEZER    DENNY.  129 

middle  of  it,  representing  the  Ohio  river  dividing,  &c. 
The  Governor  replied,  and  told  them  that  he  could  not 
possibly  make  the  least  deviation  from  the  treaties  which 
had  been  concluded  at  Fort  Stanwix,  at  Fort  M'Intosh 
and  at  the  Miami  river.  That  at  these  treaties  the  sev- 
eral boundaries  had  been  fixed,  and  were  unalterable. 
Council  adjourned.  Several  days  pass  over.  Indians 
pow-wowing.  The  Ohio  rising  and  driving  with  ice. 

Jan.  6th,  1789. — All  hands  assemble  again.  The  Gov- 
ernor made  a  speech  to  the  Indians.  Explained  to  them 
by  a  simile  how  they  had  forfeited  their  country.  He 
supposed  the  Wyandots  and  some  distant  nation  at  war 
with  each  other.  The  Shawanees  living  between,  were 
desired  by  the  Wyandots  to  lie  still,  which  was  agreed 
to,  but  the  Shawanees  being  of  a  restless  disposition,  and 
easy  persuaded,  took  up  the  hatchet  against  their  neigh- 
bors the  Wyandots ;  notwithstanding,  the  Wyandots  con- 
quered their  enemies,  and  obliged  them  to  sue  for  peace, 
and  the  Shawanees'  lands  were  given  as  a  price  for  the 
same.  Now,  whether  had  not  the  Wyandots  a  good 
claim  to  the  lands?  They  all  agreed  it  was  but  just; 
then,  said  he,  this  is  exactly  your  case,  you  took  up  the 
hatchet  against  the  United  States,  and  joined  the  English 
in  the  late  war.  The  English,  to  obtain  peace,  ceded  to 
the  United  States  all  the  country  south  of  the  great 
lakes.  He  told  them  that  they  had  been  all  summer  en- 
deavoring to  meet,  but  it  seemed  to  be  to  no  purpose. 
The  United  States,  he  said,  were  much  inclined  to  be  at 
peace  with  all  the  Indians,  but  if  the  Indians  wanted 
war  they  should  have  war.  He  told  them  that  if  they 
9 


130  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

would  renew  the  articles  which  had  been  agreed  to  and 
signed  at  M'Intosh  and  at  the  other  treaties,  he  would 
add  another  article,  and  allow  them  the  privilege  of  hunt- 
in^  any  where  in  the  United  States'  territory,  and  would 
deliver  over  to  them  a  certain  quantity  of  goods,  such  as 
might  be  agreed  on.  Adjourned. 

Sth.  —  Lieutenant  Pratt  joined  us,  from  Connecticut, 
with  about  seventy  recruits. 

9^.  — In  council  once  more.  The  old  Wyandot  chief, 
Shandotto,  who  spoke  for  all  the  nations  present,  said  he 
was  sorry  the  Governor  talked  of  war.  It  was  not  long 
since  both  had  felt  the  effects  of  it.  For  their  part,  they 
wished  for  no  more.  He  said  they  all  had  a  great  re- 
gard for  the  thirteen  fires,  and  would  do  everything  in 
their  power  to  accommodate  them  for  the  sake  of  peace, 
only  hoped  the  line  would  be  removed  a  little  way. 

llth. — This  was  the  last  act  of  the  farce.  The  articles 
were  signed. 

13^.  —  The  goods  were  given  out  to  the  different  na- 
tions of  Indians.  The  death  of  General  Yernum,  one 
of  the  judges  of  the  territory,  who  was  buried  this  after- 
noon, is  generally  lamented.  The  officers  of  the  fort  at- 
tended his  funeral. 

22d — The  Indians  mostly  dispersed.  Mr.  Thompson, 
Luce  and  Schuyler,  embarked  for  the  Rapids. 

2Stk. --The  Governor,  Pennsylvania  commissioners, 
and  sundry  other  gentlemen  attending  the  grand  treaty, 
left  us  for  Fort  Pitt. 

Feb.  15th.  —  Captain  Bradford,  with  his  company,  em- 
barked for  the  Rapids.  Dr.  Carmichael  proceeded  with 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  131 

him  as  far  as  the  Great  Miami,  there  to  join  Lieutenant 
Kersey. 

22d. — Married  this  evening,  Captain  David  Ziegler,  of 
the  first  regiment,  to  Miss  Sheffield,  only  single  daughter 
of  Mrs.  Sheffield,  of  Campus  Martius,  city  of  Marietta. 
On  this  occasion  I  played  the  captain's  aid,  and  at  his 
request,  the  memorandums  made.  I  exhibited  a  charac- 
ter not  more  awkward  than  strange,  at  the  celebration 
of  Captain  Ziegler's  nuptials,  the  first  of  the  kind  I  had 
been  a  witness  to. 

March  18th.  —  Lieutenant  Kingsbury  was  sent  to  con- 
duct a  number  of  M'Curdy's  discharged  men  to  Fort 
Pitt. 

April  19th. — Ensign  Hartshorn  detached  with  a  party 
for  Wheeling,  where  he  expected  to  meet  Mr.  Ludlow, 
with  whom  he  was  to  proceed  to  run  the  northern  boun- 
dary of  the  Ohio  Company  purchase. 

May  1st.  —  The  Indians  attack  and  kill  a  Mr.  King,  a 
proprietor  in  the  Ohio  Company,  just  below  the  Little 
Kanahwa,  where  a  settlement  is  forming.  The  directors 
apply  to  General  Harmar  for  a  few  soldiers  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  place.  A  sergeant,  corporal  and  fifteen 
men,  detached  to  protect  the  settlement  below,  called 
Belpre,  and  a  corporal  and  eight  sent  up  the  Mus- 
kingum  to  Wolf  creek,  where  the  people  are  making 
another  settlement. 

5th. — The  commission  of  first  Lieutenant,  which  ought 
to  have  been  sent  me  last  year,  was  received  but  to-day. 
It  is  dated  28th  of  March  last ;  the  detention  occasioned 
by  a  claim,  of  Mr.  Spear  for  the  same  appointment. 


132  MILITARY    JOURNAL     OF 

Spear  had  filled  a  vacant  ensigncy  twelve  months  after 
our  appointments,  but  having  been  an  older  subaltern  in 
the  Revolutionary  war,  thought  he  was  still  entitled  to 
the  right.  Our  State,  where  the  appointments  originate, 
decided  against  him.  This  evening  Lieutenant  Ford, 
with  Captain  Mercer's  company,  arrived  from  Vincen- 
nes.  Captain  Mercer  and  Lieutenant  Peters  came  also, 
on  their  way  home 

28th.  • —  Two  parties  of  a  corporal  and  nine  men  each 
were  detached  to  escort  the  surveyors  of  the  Ohio  Com- 
pany in  running  out  certain  ranges  upon  the  river,  and 
to  the  extension  of  the  purchase  westward.  They  took 
two  men  and  provisions. 

June  4:th.  —  Lieutenant  Kingsbury,  Mr.  Tupper  and 
myself  set  out  in  a  small  boat  with  four  men,  to  visit 
the  settlements  made  by  the  New  England  people  on 
donation  lands,  called  Belpre  settlement.  We  got 
down  about  one  o'clock  —  found  everything  appeared  as 
well  as  industry  could  make. 

5th.  —  We  embarked  and  returned  up  within  seven 
miles  of  the  garrison.  Landed  and  struck  off  on  a  west 
line,  and  at  the  distance  of  one  mile,  got  upon  Mr. 
Kingsbury's  one  hundred  and  sixty  acre  lot,  and  mine, 
which  adjoins  his.  We  found  mine  to  be  tolerably  good 
land,  having  a  branch  of  the  Little  Hockhocking  run- 
ning directly  through  it.  A  great  deal  of  poplar,  walnut, 
locust,  cherry,  shellbark  hickory  and  black  oak.  Re- 
turned to  the  boat  and  got  home  about  dark. 

9^.  —  Ensign  Hartshorn  and  his  party  returned  from 
escorting  Mr.  Ludlow,  the  surveyor,  who  was  running 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  133 

the  northern  boundary  of  the  Ohio  Company  purchase. 
They  completed  the  business  without  the  least  molestation. 

9th.  —  Major  Wyllys,  Ensign  Sedam  and  Dr.  Allison, 
arrived  from  the  Rapids  on  their  way  to  New  York. 

28th.  —  A  young  Delaware  came  in  with  information 
that  George  Washington  was  wounded  by  some  person 
in  ambush,  on  the  Tuscarawas  branch  of  the  Mus- 
kingum.  They  are  willing  to  lay  it  to  Brant's  people, 
but  at  the  same  time  think  the  mischief  done  by  militia 
from  Wheeling. 

July  7th. — Major  Doughty  joined  us  from  New  York. 

l&h.  —  Captain  M'Curdy  and  Ensign  M'Dowell  came 
with  forty-four  recruits — good  looking  fellows. 

Aug.  9th.  —  Captain  Strong,  with  his  two  subalterns, 
Lieutenant  Kingsbury  and  Ensign  Hartshorn,  and  a 
complete  company  of  seventy  men,  embark  for  the  Mi- 
ami. 

\\th.  —  Captain  Ferguson  joined  us  with  his  recruits. 
Major  Doughty  follows  Captain  Strong  for  the  purpose 
of  choosing  ground  and  laying  out  a  new  work  intended 
for  the  protection  of  persons  who  have  settled  within  the 
limits  of  Judge  Symme's  purchase. 

21st. — A  corporal  and  six  men  escorting  surveyors  of 
the  Ohio  Company,  attacked  by  the  Indians.  The  cor- 
poral only  escaped. 

Sept.  4:th. — Ferguson  with  his  company  ordered  to  join 
Strong  in  erecting  a  fort  near  the  Miami.  Lieutenant 
Pratt,  the  quarter-master,  ordered  to  the  same  place. 

14th.  —  At  a  meeting  of  the  agents  of  the  Ohio  Land 
Company,  a  tract  of  land  lying  at  or  near  the  mouth  of 


134  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

Tyger's  or  Kyger's  creek,  on  the  Ohio,  about  four  or  five 
miles  above  the  Great  Kanahwa,  was  granted  to  an  as- 
sociation of  thirty-five  proprietors,  formed  for  settling 
the  same ;  each  to  have  one  hundred  acres  at  least.  The 
1st  September,  1790,  is  the  time  allowed  for  commencing 
the  settlement.  Captain  Beatty  and  myself  are  of  the 
association. 

22d. —  Captain  Heart,  with  his  company  from  Fort 
Franklin,  arrive  here. 

Nov.  10th.  —  The  General  intends  removing  to  head- 
quarters very  shortly,  to  the  new  fort  building  by  Ma- 
jor Doughty,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Licking  creek.  Had 
hinted  that  a  short  furlough  would  be  very  desirable 
before  I  went  lower  down,  and  if  I  could  be  excused 
from  the  regiment,  would  proceed  to  Philadelphia,  and 
complete  some  business  of  his  and  of  the  officers  of  the 
Pennsylvania  quota.  I  had,  in  the  absence  of  quarter- 
master, performed  both  duties  of  adjutant  and  quarter- 
master. Mr.  Pratt  I  always  found  ready  and  willing. 
On  this  occasion  he  volunteered,  and  I  obtained  a  fur- 
lough until  1st  May.  Embarked  in  a  twelve  oar  boat 
with  Doctor  Scott. 

llth. — Lay  near  the  upper  end  of  the  Long  Reach. 

12th.  —  Met  a  rise  of  water,  and  got  one  mile  above 
Sunfish. 

13th.  — Rainy  weather.  Lay  all  night  at  Mr.  Mahan's, 
seven  miles  below  Wheeling. 

14th. —  Deposited  with  Esquire  Zeens  sundry  articles 
found  with  Rogers  (drowned),  to  be  sent  to  his  wife  at 
Marietta.  Got  to  Carpenter's  at  Short  creek. 


MAJOE    EBENEZER    DENNY.  135 

.  —  High  water.  Lay  one  mile  above  Holliday's 
Cove. 

\Qth.  —  The  river  continued  to  rise.  With  hard  work 
we  made  Dawson's,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Little  Beaver, 
about  eight  o'clock  at  night. 

17th. —  As  we  turned  up  Beaver  creek,  to  go  to  the 
block-house  two  miles  up,  where  an  officer  and  party  is 
stationed,  we  met  General  Parson's  canoe,  with  some 
property,  floating  down.  Found  the  old  gentleman,  in 
attempting  to  pass  the  Falls,  about  five  miles  up,  was 
cast  out  and  drowned,  with  one  man  who  accompanied 
him.  Judge  Parsons  was  esteemed  a  useful,  enterprising 
citizen.  He  had  an  interest  in  Salt  Spring  tract,  on  the 
Mahoning,  and  anxious  to  prove  the  navigation  of  the 
Falls  practicable,  the  experiment  cost  him  his  life.  It  is 
said  that  his  life  was  insured  in  New  York. 

18th.  —  Set  out  after  breakfast  and  got  as  high  as  the 
lower  end  of  Montour's  Island. 

19M. — Arrived  at  Pittsburgh  about  two  o'clock,  P.  M., 
when  to  our  great  satisfaction  we  found  Major  Wyllys, 
Captain  Mercer,  Captain  Beatty,  Lieutenant  Peters,  En- 
sign Sedam  and  Doctor  Allison,  all  on  their  way  to  join 
the  regiment. 

PITTSBURGH,  Dec.  £th. — With  Beatty,  the  pay-master, 
I  had  business  which  detained  me  here  longer  than  was 
intended.  My  boat  and  crew  were  taken  back  by  these 
officers.  Got  upon  the  road  this  afternoon. 

12th. — Reached  Carlisle. 

Jan.  9th,  1790.  —  Left  Carlisle  in  company  with  Mr. 


136  MILITAEY    JOUENAL    OF 

Xesbit.  That  evening  reached  the  Susquehanna  on  my 
way  to  Philadelphia. 

\3th. — Arrived  in  the  city  after  a  cold  and  tedious  ride. 

26th. — Having  settled  all  my  business  fully,  took  leave 
of  the  pleasing  amusements  of  the  city  and  got  back  to 
my  friends  at  Carlisle  on  the  29th.  Had  been  here  but 
a  few  days,  when  a  strange  indisposition  came  on  me, 
altogether  unaccountable.  Few  persons  have  been  favor- 
ed with  better  health  than  I  have  enjoyed  all  my  life ; 
once  only,  in  South  Carolina  was  I  laid  up  for  a  while. 
Temperance  and  an  active  life  may  have  contributed  to 
exempt  when  few  escaped,  but  never  was  without  a  grate- 
ful sense  of  the  favor  of  Divine  Providence.  In  the 
present  case  endeavored  for  several  days  to  keep  up, 
when  it  was  discovered  that  I  had  taken  the  measles,  a 
disease  very  prevalent  here  at  this  time,  and  which  it 
was  supposed  I  had  had.  This  sickness  could  not  have 
taken  me  at  a  more  convenient  or  happy  time  —  was  in 
the  house  with  my  mother  and  sisters.  In  the  space  of 
a  couple  of  weeks  was  again  about,  and  as  soon  as  it  was 
prudent  to  be  exposed  to  the  roads  and  weather,  left  my 
kind  and  aifectionate  relations,  and  arrived  at  Pittsburgh 
on  the  22d.  March. 

April  \\tli.  —  No  place  appears  to  me  more  inviting 
than  this ;  could  willingly  remain  here  awhile,  but  my 
furlough  draws  to  a  close,  nor  would  I  go  over  it  one  day, 
for  a  week  of  pleasure  anywhere.  Besides,  I  know  that 
nothing  short  of  unavoidable  delay  would  do  in  my  case. 
The  only  conveyance  for  one  down  the  river  is  a  Ken- 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  137 

tucky  boat  loaded  with  flour  for  head-quarters.     The 
boat  and  hands  are  put  under  my  charge,  and  with  three 
soldiers,  making  seven  of  us,  we  set  sail. 
.— Buffalo  creek. 

. — Land  at  Fort  Harmar,  mouth  of  Muskingum, 
a  place  where  I  had  spent  most  part  of  the  last  two  years 
with  much  satisfaction.  It  was  now  in  a  manner  desert-  s 
ed.  Head-quarters  had  been  removed  to  Fort  Washing- 
ton, opposite  the  mouth  of  Licking.  Spent  one  day  with 
some  old  friends  of  the  Ohio  Company.  Accounts  from 
below  that  Indians  are  in  force  on  the  river  near  Scioto. 

17$.  —  Reached  the  Great  Kanahwa,  where  were  sev- 
eral boats  waiting  to  increase  their  force.  An  express 
had  arrived  from  Limestone  to  Colonel  Lewis,  with  ac- 
counts that  the  savages  had  attacked  and  taken  several 
boats  at  the  mouth  of  Scioto. 

18$. — While  waiting  to  enlarge  our  fleet,  Mr.  Kings- 
bury  arrived  from  the  Miami,  by  whom  I  received  a  let- 
ter from  the  General,  but  too  late  for  me  to  execute  his 
business. 

19$.  —  Having  examined  the  several  boats  and  the 
people  on  board,  the  arms,  &c.,  and  made  such  disposi- 
tion of  the  whole  as  was  thought  most  judicious,  sailed 
at  the  head  of  sixteen  Kentuck  boats  and  two  keels. 
The  Kentucky  boats  were  lashed  three  together  and  kept 
in  one  line.  Women,  children  and  stock  all  put  into 
the  middle  boats.  Outside  boats  only  manned  and 
worked.  The  men  belonging  to  each  block  of  boats  had 
their  own  commanding  officer,  and  the  whole  could  re- 
pair to  either  side  as  necessity  might  require.  The  keels 


138  MILITARY    JOURNAL    OF 

kept  on  each  flank.  The  river  is  in  good  navigable  or- 
der, and  weather  pleasant.  The  boats  were  enabled  to 
keep  their  stations.  Passed  the  Scioto  about  daylight. 

20th.— About  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  a  .storm  of 
wind  and  rain  met  us.  Such  a  one  I  had  never  before 
seen  on  the  river.  The  boats  had  to  be  cut  loose,  and 
even  when  single  were  in  danger  of  filling  every  instant. 
At  this  time  were  supposed  to  be  about  five  miles  below 
Scioto  and  close  upon  the  Indian  shore.  Any  apprehen- 
sion from  the  Indians  by  me  was  forgotten ;  I  was  clear 
for  making  the  nearest  land,  headed  my  boat  for  shore, 
and  made  the  signal  for  the  others  to  follow.  One  only 
obeyed  the  signal  and  landed  along  side  of  me.  The 
rest  passed  and  made  for  the  Kentucky  side,  at  the 
hazard  of  their  lives.  They,  however,  got  safe,  with  no 
other  damage  than  shipping  large  quantities  of  water. 
In  this  situation  we  were  obliged  to  remain  the  whole 
day.  As  the  sun  went  down  the  storm  ceased.  I  fired 
a  gun  and  put  off — the  boats  all  followed,  and  next 
morning  reached  Limestone. 

LIMESTOXE,  2lst.  —  Upon  landing  here  was  informed 
that  an  officer  of  the  regiment^  with  soldiers,  was  on  the 
opposite  shore.  Procured  a  light  boat  and  crossed  the 
river,  where  I  found  Lieutenant  Pratt  with  a  small  party 
of  men.  He  informed  me  that  General  Harmar,  with 
about  three  hundred  regulars  and  Arolunteers,  had 
marched  the  morning  before  for  Paint  creek,  which 
empties  into  the  Scioto  about  sixty  miles  up,  at  which 
place  it  was  expected  the  Indians  who  had  been  on  the 
Ohio,  would  be  found  with  their  plunder.  Here  I  found 


MAJOR    EBENEZER    DENNY.  139 

that  the  General  had  calculated  my  time,  for  expecting 
that  Mr.  Pratt  would  see  me,  he  had  left  instructions  for 
me  to  proceed  to  Fort  Washington.  Parted  with  Pratt 
in  the  evening. 

22d. — Arrived  at  Fort  Washington  about  twelve  o'clock. 

FORT  WASHINGTON,  May  2d.  —  The  troops  returned 
from  Paint  creek,  under  command  of  Captain  Ferguson. 
General  Harmar  parted  with  them  at  mouth  of  Scioto, 
and  proceeded  in  his  barge  for  Muskingum. 

July  11  th. — Governor  St.  Clair  arrived  at  Fort  Wash- 
ington from  the  Illinois,  where  he  had  spent  part  of  the 
winter  and  spring  in  organizing  the  several  counties  in 
that  quarter  of  the  territory,  and  establishing  a  system 
of  government.  General  Harmar  had  returned  to  head- 
quarters some  weeks  since.  The  Governor  remained 
with  us  but  three  days.  In  the  mean  time  it  was  agreed 
and  determined  that  General  Harmar  should  conduct 
an  expedition  against  the  Maumee  towns,  the  residence 
of  all  the  renegade  Indians,  from  whence  issued  all  the 
parties  who  infest  our  frontiers.  One  thousand  militia 
were  ordered  from  Kentucky,  and  the  Governor  on  his 
way  to  New  York,  the  seat  of  the  general  government, 
was  to  order  five  hundred  from  the  back  counties  of 
Pennsylvania.  15th  September  was  the  time  appointed 
for  the  militia  to  assemble  at  Fort  Washington. 

\bth. — The  General  commenced  his  preparations;  cal- 
culations of  provisions,  horses,  stores,  &c.,  were  imme- 
diately made  out  and  ordered  accordingly.  Every  day 
employed  in  the  most  industrious  manner.  Captain 
Ferguson,  with  his  company,  engaged  in  getting  in  com- 


